Croup- What is it?

My Son had croup when he was 6 months old and just managed to stay out of hospital with it. At the time i had no idea what it was, hopefully this advice will help other parents in the same situation.

What is it?-

Croup is a common illness in young children 6 months to 3 years but it can affect children up to the age of 6. It is a viral infection of the upper airway. It affects the voicebox (larynx) and windpipe (trachea) usually follows a common cold and is more common in winter.

What are the symptoms?-

A barking cough and noisy breathing are the main symptoms. The cough is a dry cough and sounds like a seal barking. A strider (a high pitched wheezing) may develop which is a serious sign. The wheezing happens when the child is breathing out not breathing in. Usually the symptoms are worse at night.

What is the treatment?-

It is important to keep the child calm. Firstly get the child to the doctor to make sure that the child does in fact have croup. Give panadol for the fever, antibotics will not help because it is a viral infection.

When the child is in bed prop them up with some pillows for support, it will help with the breathing. Using a vaporiser in the childs bedroom will help them greatly with the breathing  at night, moist air is the most helpful treatment. If the child is rather upset and finding it hard to breath then wrap them in a blanket and take them outside into the cool air. It will help them breath. Also you can try to get them to calm down by taking their mind off what is going on by giving them a book to read or watching some television.

When should you seek immediate medical help?-

Take your child straight to hospital if

• The strider gets worse or you can hear it when the child is sleeping
• The child starts going pale or blue
• The child is floppy
• The child is restless or irrational

If the child just doesn't look right, we all know how our children act when they are sick so if you are anyway concerned take them to the hospital.

There has always been talk as to whether croup is contagious or not. It is my thought that if the child is sick it is best just to keep them away from other children anyway.

Thank you all for reading this. I hope i have helped someone

Juzzy