What is croup disease

Your child may seem better at one moment, and then get worse the next. Your child's provider may also order the following medications to help with the symptoms of croup:. Treating a fever with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as instructed by your child's provider Do NOT give a child aspirin as it can cause a condition called Reye syndrome. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What causes croup? Viruses that are known to cause croup are: Parainfluenza virus Respiratory syncytial virus RSV Influenza virus Adenovirus Enteroviruses Croup is spread through direct contact with a person, or fluids from another person who has the disease.

Facts about croup Croup is most commonly seen in children 3 months old to 5 years. The peak time for croup to occur is 2 years old. Croup is seen more often in the winter. The doctor might order a neck X-ray if the croup is severe and slow to get better after treatment. In cases of croup, an X-ray usually will show the top of the airway narrowing to a point, which doctors call a "steeple" sign.

Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Try to keep your child calm, as crying can make croup worse. For a fever, medicine acetaminophen or, only for kids older than 6 months, ibuprofen may make your child more comfortable. Ask your health care provider how much to give and follow the directions carefully. Your child should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. If needed, give small amounts of liquid more often using a spoon or medicine dropper. Kids with croup also should get lots of rest.

Some kids need a breathing treatment that can be given in the hospital or a steroid medicine to reduce swelling in the airway. Rarely, kids with croup might need to stay in a hospital until they're breathing better. Croup causes swelling and narrowing in the voice box, windpipe, and breathing tubes that lead to the lungs. This can make it hard for your child to breathe.

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. Croup in children. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Johnson DW. BMJ Clinical Evidence. Accessed Jan.

Croup laryngotracheobronchitis. Merck Manual Professional Version. Gates A, et al. Glucocorticoids for croup in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. About human parainfluenza viruses HPIVs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kimberlin DW, et al. Parainfluenza viral infections. In: Red Book Online. Elk Grove Village, Ill. Petrocheilou A, et al. Viral croup: Diagnosis and a treatment algorithm. Pediatric Pulmonology.