An attack of croup can be scary, but it is rarely serious. Children usually get better in several days with rest and care at home. Croup usually occurs a few days after the start of a cold and is usually caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold. Croup is contagious. The germs that cause it can be passed from one person to another through coughing and sneezing and through close contact. Regular hand-washing and limiting contact with others can help prevent the spread of croup.
As children grow older and their lungs and windpipes mature, they are less likely to get croup. Getting a flu vaccine each year may help your child fight off some of the viruses that can lead to croup. Symptoms of croup are caused by narrowed airways. They may include:. Symptoms of croup often improve during the day and get worse at night. Sometimes children have croup attacks that wake them up in the middle of the night for a couple of nights in a row. Unless the illness is severe, a child with croup is usually alert and active.
The child's temperature is usually normal or only slightly higher than normal. Your doctor will probably be able to tell whether your child has croup based on your child's symptoms and a physical examination. The doctor may be able to identify the barking cough of croup over the phone. The doctor may place a small clip called a pulse oximeter on your child's finger, toe, or earlobe to make sure that enough oxygen is reaching the blood.
Even though your child's coughing and troubled breathing can be frightening, home treatment usually eases the symptoms. If your child's symptoms don't get better after 30 minutes, call your child's doctor. Because attacks often occur in the middle of the night when your doctor is probably not available, you may have to go to the emergency room. If your child has severe difficulty breathing , call or other emergency services immediately. When home treatment isn't enough, medicines such as glucocorticoids or epinephrine may be used to decrease airway swelling.
Petrocheilou A, et al. Viral croup: Diagnosis and a treatment algorithm. Pediatric Pulmonology. Ali S, et al. Prehospital dexamethasone administration in children with croup: A medical record review.
Emergency Medicine. Ortiz-Alvarez O, et al. Acute management of croup in the emergency department. Pediatrics and Child Health. Smith DK, et al. Croup: Diagnosis and management. American Family Physician. Bagwell T, et al. Management of croup in the emergency department: The role of multidose nebulized epinephrine. Pediatric Emergency Care. In press. Use caution when giving cough and cold products to kids. Food and Drug Administration. Diphtheria and the vaccine shot to prevent it.
Protect your child against Hib disease. Baughn JM expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Bacterial tracheitis. Related Croup Normal airway. Associated Procedures X-ray. A nebuliser allows your child to breathe the medication as a mist.
If your child is very distressed and finding it difficult to breathe, they will be given oxygen through an oxygen mask. In rare cases croup may require hospitalisation, where a child may need intubation. During intubation, a tube is inserted either through a nostril or the mouth and passed down into the windpipe. This will help your child breathe more easily. Intubation is usually performed under general anaesthetic. This means your child will be completely unconscious throughout the procedure so they do not experience pain or distress.
Your child may find it difficult to drink fluids as a result of an obstruction in their airway. However, it is important they have plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. If your child refuses fluids, try not to force them. This could distress your child and make the condition worse. A secondary infection can sometimes develop following the initial viral infection that caused croup.
A secondary infection can potentially cause:. Although rare, other possible complications of croup can include middle ear infection and lymphadenitis, an infection of the glands of the immune system lymph nodes. Home Illnesses and conditions Lungs and airways Croup. Croup See all parts of this guide Hide guide parts 1. About croup 2. Symptoms of croup 3. Causes of croup 4. Diagnosing croup 5. Treating croup 6. Complications of croup. About croup Croup is a childhood condition that affects the windpipe trachea , the airways to the lungs the bronchi and the voice box larynx.
Read more about the symptoms of croup and diagnosing croup Why does croup happen? Read more about the causes of croup Who is affected by croup? The condition is more common during the late autumn and early winter months. It tends to affect more boys than girls. A child may experience croup more than once during childhood.
Treating croup Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Read more about treating croup Complications Most cases of croup clear up within 48 hours. It is extremely rare for a child to die from croup. Preventing croup Croup is spread in a similar way to the common cold, so it is difficult to prevent. Symptoms of croup A child can get croup at any time of the year, although it's more likely to occur during late autumn or early winter. Typical symptoms of croup include: a bark-like cough a hoarse or croaky voice difficulty breathing a harsh grating sound when breathing in, called stridor Stridor is often most noticeable when the child cries or coughs.
Symptoms tend to be worse at night. Some children have cold-like symptoms for a few days before developing croup symptoms.
These cold-like symptoms can include: sore throat runny nose cough high temperature fever Although croup symptoms usually only last for a few days, they can occasionally last up to two weeks. When to seek medical advice Croup can usually be diagnosed by a GP and mild cases can be treated at home. Causes of croup Croup usually develops as the result of a viral infection. It is sometimes called laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis Parainfluenza virus The parainfluenza virus is the most common cause of croup.
Other viruses A number of other viruses can also cause croup. These include: influenza A and B flu viruses the measles virus, in children who have not been immunised against measles the rhinovirus common cold virus enteroviruses the respiratory syncytial virus RSV , which can cause severe breathing problems and pneumonia in babies Other causes Less common causes of croup include: inhaling a small object such as a peanut or a pen cap inhaled foreign body epiglottitis — inflammation of the epiglottis, the flap at the base of the tongue that keeps food from going into the windpipe an allergic reaction to substances such as pollen or dust mites inhalation of irritants, such as chemicals acid leaking back out of the stomach and into the throat acid reflux.
Diagnosing croup A GP can diagnose croup by studying your child's symptoms, particularly the sound of their cough. Differentiating these causes from croup may require further tests.
0コメント