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 There is a distinctive cough that occurs with infections of the voice box (larynx).

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 The cough is tight, metallic, and like a barking seal.

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 The voice is usually hoarse.

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A harsh, raspy vibrating sound is heard when your child breathes in.

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Breathing becomes very difficult.

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Stridor only occurs with severe croup.

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Stridor is usually present with coughing or crying.

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As the disease becomes worse, stridor also occurs when a child is sleeping or relaxed.

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Croup is a viral infection of the vocal cords.  It is usually part of a cold.  The hoarseness is due to    the swelling of the vocal cords.

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Stridor occurs as the opening between the cords becomes more narrow.

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Inhalation of Warm Mist.  Warm, moist air seems to work best to relax the vocal cords and break the stridor.  If you have a vaporizer, fill it with warm water and have your child breathe deeply from the stream of the humidity.

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The Foggy Bathroom. In the meantime, have the hot shower running with the bathroom door   closed.  Once the room is fogged up, take him in there for at least 20 minutes.  Try to allay fears by cuddling your child.

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Results of First Aid.   Most children settle down with the above treatments and sleep peacefully through the night.

NOTE: If the stridor and labored breathing continue, call our office.

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 Mist.  Dry air usually makes coughs worse.  Keep the child's room humidified.  Use a cool mist humidifier  or vaporizer if you have one.  If you do not have a humidifier, hang 3 very damp beach towels in the child's room. 

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 Warm Fluids for Coughing Spasms.  Coughing spasms are often due to sticky mucus caught on the vocal cords.  Warm, clear fluids, such as apple juice, lemonade or tea may help relax the vocal cords and loosen the mucus.

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 Cough Medicines.   Using  a medicine with a cough suppressant may also help.  You can try an  "over the counter" medication containing dextromethorphan or a prescription cough suppressant which we can prescribe.

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 Close Observation.  While your child is croupy,  sleep in the same room with him.  Croup can be  a dangerous disease.  By all means, don't let anyone smoke around your child.  Smoke can make croup worse.

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 Contagiousness.  The viruses that cause croup are quite contagious until the fever is gone or at  least until 3 days into the illness.  Your child can return to school or child care once he or she feels better.

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Breathing becomes difficult.  Your child develops drooling, spitting, or great difficulty in swallowing.

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Your child develops retractions (tugging in) between the ribs.

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The lips turn bluish or dusky.

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Your child can't sleep because of the croup.

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The warm mist fails to clear up stridor within 20 minutes.

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 You feel your child is getting worse.

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The coughing spasms are getting worse.

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The attacks of stridor occur more than three times.

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Your child is not drinking much.

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A fever (over 104° F or 40° C) occurs.

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You have other concerns or questions.