Croup

When to Call for Croup

Care Advice for Croup

1. What You Should Know About Croup:
   • Most children with croup just have a barky cough.
   • Some have tight breathing (called stridor). Stridor is a loud, harsh sound when breathing in. It comes from the area of the voicebox.
   • Coughing up mucus is very important. It helps protect the lungs from pneumonia.
   • We want to help a productive cough, not turn it off.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. First Aid for Stridor (Harsh sound with breathing in):
   • Breathe warm mist in a closed bathroom with the hot shower running. Do this for 20 minutes.
   • You could also use a wet washcloth held near the face.
   • Caution: do not use very hot water or steam which could cause burns.
   • If warm mist fails, breathe cool air by standing near an open refrigerator. You can also go outside with your child if the weather is cold. Do this for a few minutes.
3. Calm Your Child if He or She has Stridor:
   • Crying or fear can make stridor worse.
   • Try to keep your child calm and happy.
   • Hold and comfort your child.
   • Use a soothing, soft voice.
4. Humidifier:
   • If the air in your home is dry, use a humidifier.
   • Reason: dry air makes croup worse.
5. Homemade Cough Medicine:
   • Goal: decrease the irritation or tickle in the throat that causes a dry cough.
   • Age 6 months to 1 year: give warm clear fluids to treat the cough. Examples are apple juice and lemonade. Amount: use a dose of 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL). Give 4 times per day when coughing. Caution: do not use honey until 1 year old.
   • Age 1 year and older: use Honey ½ to 1 teaspoon (2-5 mL) as needed. It works as a homemade cough medicine. It can thin the secretions and loosen the cough. If you don't have any honey, you can use corn syrup.
   • Age 6 years and older: use Cough Drops to decrease the tickle in the throat. If you don't have any, you can use hard candy. Avoid cough drops before 6 years. Reason: risk of choking.
6. Non-Prescription Cough Medicine (DM):
   • Non-prescription cough medicines are not advised. Reason: no proven benefit for children and not approved under 6 years old (FDA).
   • Honey has been shown to work better for coughs. Caution: do not use honey until 1 year old.
   • If age 6 years or older, you might decide to use a cough medicine. Choose one with dextromethorphan (DM) such as Robitussin Cough syrup. DM is present in most non-prescription cough syrups. Follow the instructions on the package.
   • When to Use: give only for severe coughs that interfere with sleep or school.
   • DM Dose: give every 6 to 8 hours as needed.
7. Coughing Fits or Spells - Warm Mist and Fluids:
   • Breathe warm mist, such as with shower running in a closed bathroom.
   • Give warm clear fluids to drink. Examples are apple juice and lemonade.
   • Age less than 6 months. Only give breast milk or formula
   • Age 6 - 12 months. Give 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 mL) each time. Limit to 4 times per day.
   • Age over 1 year. Give as much warm fluids as needed.
   • Reason: both relax the airway and loosen up any phlegm.
8. Fluids - Offer More:
   • Try to get your child to drink lots of fluids.
   • Goal: keep your child well hydrated.
   • It also loosens up any phlegm in the lungs. Then it's easier to cough up.
9. Fever Medicine:
   • For fevers above 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
   • Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
   • Note: fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
   • For all fevers: keep your child well hydrated. Give lots of cold fluids.
10. Sleep Close by to Your Child:
    • Sleep in the same room with your child for a few nights.
    • Reason: stridor can start all of a sudden at night.
11. Avoid Tobacco Smoke:
    • Tobacco smoke makes croup much worse.
12. Return to School:
    • Your child can go back to school after the fever is gone.
    • Your child should also feel well enough to join in normal activities.
    • For practical purposes, the spread of croup and colds cannot be prevented.
13. What to Expect:
    • Most often, croup lasts 5 to 6 days and becomes worse at night.
    • The croupy cough can last up to 2 weeks.
14. Call Your Doctor If:
    • Trouble breathing occurs
    • Stridor (harsh raspy sound) occurs
    • Croupy cough lasts more than 14 days
    • You think your child needs to be seen
    • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.