What is Croup? Symptoms, Treatment, and When to Worry Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Table of Content

• Painkillers for children
• In this Article
• When to See the Doctor
• What to avoid
• Preventing croup from spreading

Actually, to prevent croup, you should do what you would with preventing colds and influenza. You should always ask your doctor or the general practitioner if you feel concerned about the symptoms your child has. Vitamin C can help boost children’s immune system and shorten the duration of viruses. Another one of the top home remedies for croup is herbal salve, which can act as a painkiller and soothe the nerves. Add one teaspoon of honey to a hot cup of tea or water and drink it daily to prevent croup. Children might possess hoarse voice and fever with noisy and labored breath.

Because children have small airways, they're likely to have more symptoms with croup. Croup rarely occurs in children older than 6 years of age. Croup refers to an infection of the upper airway, which becomes narrow, making it harder to breathe.

Painkillers for children

Whenever your baby starts coughing you can rub this herbal salve on his/her chest. This will help your baby breathe more easily after about 5 or 10 minutes. One of the best home remedies for croup is warm steam. If you are about to be a mom, then take note that pregnant women contract more severe symptoms of croup than non-pregnant women.

A single dose of oral dexamethasone may be prescribed for mild croup. Breathing treatments, such as nebulizers or inhalers. Hold your child upright, which might make it easier to breathe. Infants should drink breast milk or formula, while older children may have water, juices, soups, or ice pops. Treat a fever with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as instructed by your child’s provider.

In this Article

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. Croup is a viral respiratory illness characterized by barking cough, high-pitched and noisy breathing , and hoarseness. If symptoms are severe, persist, or worsen, you should contact your child's doctor for advice. Most cases of croup are mild and may just require parental guidance and reassurance.

These home remedies should provide relief within minutes. If they don’t help, Dr. Giuliano advises taking your child to the emergency department. Occasionally, your child may be referred to hospital if they're more seriously ill or they're under the age of 3 months.

When to See the Doctor

You may want to sleep near your child or even in the same room so that you can take quick action if symptoms worsen. Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin.

If a doctor wants full confirmation a child has croup, they may order an X-ray or blood testing to look for croup signs. Doctors don’t usually run any tests to diagnose croup. The condition is so common, they can usually recognize the symptoms by conducting a physical exam. While croup can affect both children and adults, the condition usually impacts children significantly more. Although rare, other possible complications of croup can include middle ear infection and lymphadenitis, an infection of the glands of the immune system . If your child refuses fluids, try not to force them.

Treatments that are appropriate for adults are often unsuitable for children, such as using potent-smelling creams or essential oils to open the airways. Croup is a viral upper respiratory infection that affects an estimated 3 percent of all children ages 6 months to 3 years old. Ask your health care provider about the right dose if you're not sure. The virus can be transmitted through close contact with infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces. As with many airborne viruses, the parainfluenza virus is often spread by breathing in droplets from infected coughs or sneezes. Croup is a respiratory infection that affects children mainly during the fall and winter months.

Croup is a common condition that mainly affects babies' and young children's airways. It's usually mild, but it's important to call NHS 111 if you think your child has croup. OTC medications, steroids and epinephrine may all reduce symptoms quickly, but they’re not without their harmful side effects. In some severe cases, especially ones involving young children, hospitalization is sometimes necessary.

If they’re very young or really cranky, give them small amounts of fluid using a spoon or medicine dropper. You should get your child vaccinated for diphtheria, Haemophilus influenza , and measles. This will keep your child safe from some of the rarest and most dangerous forms of croup.

How do you know if you should take your child to the hospital? Breathing difficulties pose the greatest concern and risk for complications. If your child is having serious difficulty breathing, you should seek medical evaluation immediately. Caused by the para influenza virus, croup in adults is often seen during outbreaks of the common cold. This airborne viral infection is easily spread during coughs and sneezing episodes. As with the cold or flu infections, croup in adults can quickly run through a household.