Croup
Croup is a viral infection of the upper airway, including the larynx and trachea. A hoarse voice and a barky, seal-like cough are the most common symptoms. When croup is particularly bad, it causes a crowing noise ("stridor") every time your child takes a breath in. Croups usually lasts 3-5 days and is generally worse at night.
Treatment:
- Use a cool mist vaporizor or humidifier when child is
sleeping. Make sure the water is changed every night. Clean
the vaporizor or humidifier with bleach once a week to kill all the mold
and bacteria.
- Encourage your child to drink lots of clear fluids.
If
your child makes a crowing noise while breathing:
- Take your child outside for 5 minutes in the cool night
air.
- In the meantime, run a hot steam shower in the
bathroom. When the room is steamed up, take your child into the
steam for 20 minutes. Sit in the bathroom steam with your child and
calmly read a story; if your child is upset, scared, or crying, it can
make the croup attack worse. Most children will settle down in the
steam and go back to sleep.
- Call us immediately if the crowing sound
persists despite 20 minutes of steam.
