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Reviewed by Dr Dan Rutherford, GP
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What is croup?
Croup is a condition that develops quickly in children and is
usually caused by a viral infection in the upper airways that is localised in
the throat and surrounding tissues. It is characterised by a barking
cough.
It usually occurs in young children under five years of age, and
in most cases clears up spontaneously in 24 to 48 hours.
Very rarely, croup is a sign of something much more serious,
such as
diphtheria.
How do you get croup?
The
virus can either be
transferred through airborne droplets produced by coughing and sneezing, or
passed from one person to another by touch. From the hands, the virus may enter
the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose.
Croup is usually caused by the parainfluenza virus, although
there are many other possible viral causes. These include the
RS virus, influenza virus type A,
rhinovirus, adenovirus, and Coxsackie virus.
If a child has had croup before, it tends to recur when they
have a cold. After the age of four to five years, these symptoms decrease in
severity.
There may be an
allergic element
connected to the parainfluenza virus.
What are the signs of croup?
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A characteristic rough, barking
cough.
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Hoarseness and noisy breathing.
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The symptoms often occur at night when the child has been lying
down for a couple of hours.
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Fever.
What should one be especially aware of?
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The child becoming more tired.
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Difficulty breathing.
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Blueness around the mouth, nose, and nails.
Seek urgent medical help if any of these problems
occur.
What can you do yourself?
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Calm the child as much as possible.
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Keep calm yourself. Obvious signs of uneasiness and anxiety
will upset the child.
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Sit the child up, which will allow them to breathe more
easily.
-
Inhaling steam may lessen the symptoms - to create steam, try
sitting the child in the bathroom with the hot tap running.
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Avoid heavy meals, since coughing may provoke vomiting.
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Encourage the child to drink plenty of fluids.
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If the child has a
fever they should
wear as few clothes as possible and not be put under warm bedclothes.
How does the doctor make a diagnosis?
-
The diagnosis is made on the basis of the symptoms of the
disease.
-
If the doctor wants to know which micro-organism has caused the
disease, a swab from the throat can be taken for examination.
-
An X-ray may be needed, but only if the child is ill enough to
need hospital admission.
Future prospects
Croup usually clears up without a problem in three to four days.
However, the coughing may last some time longer. The disease usually gets worse
at night when the child is lying down.
Additional problems that may be caused by croup
include:
-
severe breathing problems and lack of oxygen.
-
blocking of the airways (obstruction). This is rarely seen, but
is life-threatening.
How is croup treated?
Since the disease is a viral infection it cannot be treated with
antibiotics.
Serious cases of croup result in admission to hospital where the
patient will be given oxygen,
corticosteroids and adrenaline by
inhalation-treatment.
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Based on a text by Hanne Korsholm, GP
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Last updated 06.07.2005
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