Croup treatment available online today

Learn about croup

Croup is a common childhood illness that is a result of an upper airway infection. The trachea is the main airway through which we breathe. When a child has croup, the infection affects the trachea and vocal cords. Croup is common in young children. Young children between the ages of 3 months to 3 years are typically affected by croup. Cases of croup usually involve children and are uncommon after the age of 6 years old.

Croup can affect a child's breathing resulting in a distinct, barky cough. Viral croup is the most common type and is characterized by recognizable noisy breathing. In most children, croup goes away on its own, but some children with croup will need to visit a doctor. Croup is slightly more prevalent among boys than girls.

How to treat croup

Treating croup focuses on your child's breathing. Croup is uncomfortable for most children, but parents can help. Parents have home treatment options that can be done to help your child feel better.

The main treatments of croup are aimed at getting the child enough oxygen. This is done by giving the child medications to help relax the upper airway, reduce coughing fits, and let more air in, or by giving supplemental oxygen for the child to breathe. Your doctor will not give you antibiotics to treat croup, since croup is caused by a virus and not bacteria.

Breathing treatments are used to help your child get enough oxygen while the virus runs its course.

In order to help your child's breathing:

• Have your child breathe cool air for a few minutes or use a cool mist humidifier. The cool night air will improve symptoms of croup.

• You can also go into the bathroom with your child while hot water is running in the shower, creating steam. Steam treatment and humidification helps relax vocal cords and soothes upper airway constriction.

• Make sure your child takes over the counter medications to treat their fever and drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. To soothe sore throats, give them warm, clear liquids.

Children with croup should be considered contagious for 3 days after the illness begins.

When to see a doctor for croup

Contact your child's doctor if you have any concerns about your child's breathing or wellbeing. If you are worried about your child's symptoms, sleep in the same room as your child so that you can hear any changes in breathing patterns or signs of distress.

Make an appointment to see a doctor if your child's symptoms do not go away, they have noisy breathing, cough deepens, cannot break a fever, or cannot sleep at night due to coughing.