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Text Size. Croup and Your Young Child. Page Content. What is croup? Types of croup Viral Croup This is the most common type of croup.
It is caused by a viral infection of the voice box and windpipe. It often starts out just like a cold, but then it slowly turns into a barky cough. Your child's voice will become hoarse and her breathing will get noisier. She may make a coarse musical sound each time she breathes in, called stridor. Spasmodic Croup This type of croup is thought to be caused by an allergy or by reflux from the stomach.
It can be scary because it comes on suddenly, often in the middle of the night. Your child may go to bed well and wake up in a few hours, gasping for breath.
She will be hoarse and have stridor when she breathes in. She may also have a barky cough. Most children with spasmodic croup do not have a fever. This type of croup can recur. It is similar to asthma and often responds to allergy or reflux medicines. Croup with Stridor Stridor is common with mild croup, especially when a child is crying or active. Home treatment for croup If your child wakes up in the middle of the night with croup, try to keep him calm. Most, though not all, cases of viral croup are mild.
Spasmodic croup is a type of croup that develops quickly and may happen in a child with a mild cold. The barking cough usually begins at night and is not accompanied by fever.
Spasmodic croup has a tendency to come back again recur. Treatment of symptoms is the same for either form of croup. Breathing in moist air helps most kids feel better, and ibuprofen or acetaminophen only in children over 6 months old can make them more comfortable. As with most illnesses, rest and plenty of fluids are recommended. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Croup usually starts with a 'cold' Symptoms of croup Get help immediately if symptoms become serious Treatment for croup at home Treatment for croup by a doctor Prevention of croup Where to get help.
Croup usually starts with a 'cold' Children with croup usually have an illness like a cold first - a runny nose, cough and slight temperature. Symptoms of croup The symptoms of croup include: noisy breathing inspiratory stridor - a high-pitched sound harsh, barking cough hoarse voice difficulty breathing - depending on how severe the illness is.
Get help immediately if symptoms become serious If the child's symptoms don't settle quickly with comforting and once they stop crying, the child needs to be seen by a doctor urgently. See a doctor immediately if your child: is obviously not well has a persistent high fever is breathing more quickly or has difficulty breathing makes a noise while breathing such as a snoring sound on breathing out, even when resting has difficulty swallowing has severe coughing bouts and can't catch their breath when coughing is restless, anxious or sweating has a bluish tinge to the lips experiences 'caving in' of the soft tissues of the neck and between the ribs when trying to breathe in.
Treatment for croup at home You can treat mild croup at home if your child has no breathing problems or noisy breathing when they are not crying. Suggestions include: Comfort your child - having a croupy cough and noisy breathing frightens children and being scared makes the situation worse. Offer frequent drinks - unless your child is having difficulty swallowing.
Give paracetamol according to your child's weight - only as directed by your doctor, if your child has a high fever or sore throat and if your doctor is sure the problem is not epiglottitis.
Moisture in the air - Some parents like to use vaporisers in their child's room, but doctors do not currently recommend it as there is no evidence that humidified air helps croup and there is a risk of burns from the steam. If vaporisers are used, ensure that instructions for use are followed closely and the room is well ventilated. Treatment for croup by a doctor Mild croup generally settles within a couple of hours and the child goes back to sleep.
Medical treatment for croup may include: Steroids - oral or inhaled steroids. Steroids decrease the length of the croup episodes. They also reduce the need for admission to hospital.
Nebulised adrenalin - in severe symptoms, adrenalin may be given in hospital to relieve the swelling in the windpipe until the steroids work. A device called a nebuliser is used to administer the medication in the form of a mist that is inhaled into the lungs.
Prevention of croup The viruses that cause croup are very similar to those of the common cold. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful?
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