Croup
Your child has been diagnosed with croup.
We know this can be a stressful time with lots of information from healthcare providers. It can be difficult to absorb everything.
We hope the following pages will be helpful in providing you with the education and resources you need to support your child from home.
What is Croup?
Croup is an acute respiratory illness most common in children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years.
It is due to inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe) most often caused by a viral infection. Viruses that can cause croup include parainfluenza, influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2.
Click continue to learn more!
Other Resources: Nemours KidsHealth - Croup
Symptoms of Croup
The main symptom of croup is a harsh, barking cough that can sound like a seal barking.
Other symptoms might include:
- fever
- runny nose
- hoarse voice
- stridor (high pitched sound when the child breathes in)
- difficulty breathing
Hospital Care
If you have been seen by a medical professional, they may have treated your child with medications. Click below to learn more about these medications.
A. Epinephrine
Epinephrine helps to reduce inflammation in the airways and improve breathing. It is usually given via a nebulizer or puffer in the emergency department. It works quickly to help improve symptoms but does not provide long-lasting relief.
B. Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone is a steroid that acts to reduce inflammation.
In croup, it acts to reduce inflammation in the airways to
help improve breathing. Dexamethasone usually takes a few
hours to start to work but lasts over 24 hours. Therefore,
it helps provide long-lasting relief and generally only one
dose is required to treat croup.
If your child was prescribed this medication, please follow
the instructions of the doctor and if you have any
questions, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
What to do at home
Click below for information on ways to help at home.
Help your child stay hydrated
As with other viral illnesses, it is important to ensure your child remains well hydrated by offering fluids containing not only water but sugar and electrolytes (e.g., breastmilk or formula in infants, electrolyte drinks in older children) WebMD - Treating Dehydration in Children
Help with fever and discomfort
To help reduce fever and alleviate discomfort, you can give
your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or, if they are over 3
months old, ibuprofen (Advil), so long as your child does
not have allergies or other reasons not to take these
medications.
Note: fever in infants under 4 weeks of age is a
medical emergency and these children should be seen in their
local emergency department.
Caring for Kids - Fever and temperature taking
Unless your doctor advises you otherwise, give the dose
recommended on the medication package.
Safe Acetaminophen Dosing for Infants and Children
Mount Sinai - Ibuprofen Dosing for Infants and
Children
Help with your child's cough
Cold, humid air can help reduce inflammation of the windpipe. Parents may consider turning on the shower and having the child breath in the humid air or exposing the child to cold air from outside, being careful that the child's body temperature remains normal Mayo Clinic - What to do if your child has croup
Does my child need antibiotics?
Antibiotics are not used to treat viral infections, like croup.
Viruses and bacteria can both cause infection but are different bugs. Bacteria can be killed using antibiotics. Viruses cannot be killed by antibiotics.
Although antibiotics are not used to treat croup, some children may have other infections requiring antibiotics such as an ear infection. Please follow the advice of your physician and if you have any questions, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
When to seek medical attention
Here are some signs that, if present, should lead you to seek immediate medical attention:
- fever in a child under 3 months of age
- fever lasting more than 48-72 hours since your child was last seen for fever
- stridor (high-pitched sound when child breathes in)
- fast or laboured breathing
- cyanosis (blue lips or tongue)
- trouble swallowing
- lethargy
- dehydration (dry mouth, sunken eyes, no tears, dark urine, no urine for more than 8-12 hours)
Follow Up
Please follow up with your primary care provider unless instructed otherwise. Of course, if you feel your child needs immediate medical attention, please do not hesitate to call 911 or bring them to your closest emergency department.
We hope this has been useful. Thank you for using Paediatrics@home!