The test does not hurt and should not distress your child, and determines whether your child is absorbing enough oxygen into their blood. Your GP will decide whether your child needs to be admitted to hospital or whether their croup is safe to treat at home. You should not try to check your child's throat yourself, because it could trigger a spasm sudden narrowing of the airway.
This could cause the airway to swell even more, making breathing even more difficult. In very rare cases, epiglottitis inflammation of the epiglottis or tracheitis inflammation of the windpipe can cause similar symptoms to croup. In these cases, however, your child will usually feel very unwell generally, rather than just having the specific symptoms of croup. If your child is admitted to hospital with severe croup, or if treatment is unsuccessful, further investigations may be needed to examine their neck and chest area for a possible obstruction.
An X-ray may be recommended if it is thought your child may have inhaled something and it is obstructing their airway. Treatment of croup depends on how severe the symptoms are. Most cases are mild and can be managed at home. This will often involve using children's paracetamol to ease any pain associated with the condition and may help lower your child's temperature if they have a fever.
You should also ensure your child is well hydrated by encouraging them to drink plenty of fluids. Comforting your child is also important because their symptoms may get worse if they are agitated or crying.
If your child is distressed, sitting them upright on your lap will help to comfort and reassure them. Your GP will usually prescribe a single dose of an oral corticosteroid medication called dexamethasone or prednisolone to help reduce swelling inflammation in your child's throat. Side effects of these medications can include restlessness, vomiting, upset stomach and headache. Steam treatment is not advised for the treatment of croup. There is no evidence that allowing your child to breathe in humid air, for example steam from a hot bath or shower in a closed room, will help.
Painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen , are available in liquid form for children. You can get liquid paracetamol and ibuprofen over the counter from pharmacies and some supermarkets. Speak to your pharmacist or GP if you are unsure about what type of painkiller is suitable for your child. Do not use cough medicines or decongestants as these do not help ease the symptoms of croup. These treatments often have drowsy side effects, which can be dangerous when a child has breathing difficulties.
If your child has severe croup, they may be given adrenaline through a nebuliser. This will help improve symptoms within 10 to 30 minutes and the effects should last for up to two hours. A nebuliser allows your child to breathe the medication as a mist. If your child is very distressed and finding it difficult to breathe, they will be given oxygen through an oxygen mask. In rare cases croup may require hospitalisation, where a child may need intubation. During intubation, a tube is inserted either through a nostril or the mouth and passed down into the windpipe.
This will help your child breathe more easily. Intubation is usually performed under general anaesthetic. This means your child will be completely unconscious throughout the procedure so they do not experience pain or distress. Your child may find it difficult to drink fluids as a result of an obstruction in their airway.
Most cases of croup are viral. Health care providers listen for the telltale cough and stridor. They'll also ask if a child has had any recent illnesses that caused a fever, runny nose, and congestion; and if the child has a history of croup or upper airway problems.
The doctor might order a neck X-ray if the croup is severe and slow to get better after treatment. In cases of croup, an X-ray usually will show the top of the airway narrowing to a point, which doctors call a "steeple" sign. Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Try to keep your child calm, as crying can make croup worse. For a fever, medicine acetaminophen or, only for kids older than 6 months, ibuprofen may make your child more comfortable.
Ask your health care provider how much to give and follow the directions carefully. Your child should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
If needed, give small amounts of liquid more often using a spoon or medicine dropper. 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. Ways to comfort your child may include: Giving your child a hug or a back rub Singing a favorite bedtime song Offering reassuring words such as, "Mommy's here, you will be OK" Offering a favorite toy If your child has a fever a temperature of Make sure he is drinking fluids to avoid dehydration.
When to call the doctor If you are concerned that your child's croup is not improving, contact your child's doctor, local emergency department, or emergency medical services even if it is the middle of the night.
Consider calling if your child: Makes a whistling sound that gets louder with each breath Cannot speak or make verbal sounds for lack of breath Seems to be struggling to catch her breath Has bluish lips or fingernails Has stridor when resting Drools or has extreme difficulty swallowing saliva Treating croup with medicine If your child has viral croup, your child's doctor or the emergency department doctor may give your child a breathing treatment with epinephrine adrenaline to decrease the swelling.
Other infections Another cause of stridor and serious breathing problems is acute supraglottitis also called epiglottitis. If your child's doctor suspects acute supraglottitis: Your child must go to the hospital right away.
To protect against acute supraglottitis: Your child should get the first dose of the Hib vaccine when he is 2 months of age. Recurrent or persistent croup When croup persists or recurs frequently, it may be a sign that your child has some narrowing of the airway that is not related to an infection.
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances. Follow Us. Back to Top. Chronic Conditions.
Common Surgical Procedures. Developmental Disabilities. Emotional Problems. Croup is spread through direct contact with a person, or fluids from another person who has the disease. The infection starts in the nose and throat and moves into the lungs. Swelling affects the area around the voice box larynx and into the windpipe trachea. Younger children are more affected by croup because their airways are smaller. Therefore, a small amount of swelling can make it really hard for a child to breathe.
Symptoms of croup are not always the same. As the disease moves from the nose to the lungs, the symptoms can change. Common symptoms of croup are:. Symptoms are often worse at night and wake the child from sleep.
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