Clearing a croupy cough - Turks and Caicos Sun

Croup is caused by a viral infection of the upper airways. It is caused by the same viruses that cause a cold and is spread through coughing, sneezing and touching infected objects.

It results in swelling of the windpipe, the airways to the lungs and the vocal cords, making the airway narrower, so it is harder to breathe and leads to a distinctive, barking cough. It is very common in young children, mainly in children under five years old; and although it is often only a mild illness, it can become serious quickly.

What are the symptoms of croup?

Children may have symptoms of a cold before the onset of croup, including a runny or stuffy nose, sore throat and fever. They then develop a harsh, barking cough and noisy breathing which is usually worse at nights and exacerbated when the child becomes upset or irritable.

When severe, children with croup may have noisy, squeaky breathing that is worse when breathing in, where they sound as if they are gasping for air and unable to breathe. This is called stridor. And although most children have mild disease which resolves in a few days, croup is a condition that worsens quickly, so being acutely aware of your child's condition and seeing your doctor if in doubt, is paramount.

How is croup treated?

Most children with croup do not need treatment by a physician. You can manage the symptoms in the same way as for a cold. Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids and keep them calm as the cough and subsequent difficulty breathing can be exacerbated when agitated or irritable.

Regular fever reducers such as paracetamol can be used to control your child's temperature. If you go in to see your family doctor, you may be prescribed medicines such as an oral steroid that can help reduce the inflammation and swelling. In general, antibiotics are not prescribed, as antibiotics work on bacterial and this is a viral illness.

A few children with croup need to go to hospital for observation, to ensure that they continue to be able to breathe without difficulty. There are a few signs that medical intervention is warranted. Seek medical help immediately if your child:

• Has a very high temperature, above 103F, that's not responding to fever reducers.
• Has noisy breathing when at rest
• Becomes tired due to the effort of breathing
• Has flaring of the nostrils or retractions of the chest when breathing
• Becomes pale or blue after a coughing spell
• Becomes lethargic or floppy
• Has trouble feeding, eating or drinking
• Is having symptoms for over 3-4 days

Can croup be prevented?

There is no way to prevent children from getting croup. However, you can try to limit the spread of the viruses that cause croup from your child to other people by frequent hand washing, encouraging your child to cough and sneeze into their elbow or into a tissue instead of their hands and cleaning surfaces regularly. If your child has croup, keep them away from school for a few days until their symptoms settle.

* Dr. Marsha Barnett practises as a general practitioner and a medical and aesthetic dermatologist. She is located at GRACE BAY MEDICAL CENTER in Providenciales and can be contacted at: (649)941-5252, or by emailing [email protected]