Croup
by Rexanne Mancini

Croup is a common viral infection that affects babies and young children, most commonly in the fall and winter months. The croup virus usually comes with common cold and flu viruses.

Croup causes inflammation and swelling in the bronchial tubes, larynx and windpipe and children typically run a low-grade fever when infected with the croup virus. Just as with any viral infection, there is no cure or antibiotic to ease the symptoms or condition.

There is something pitifully sad about a baby barking like a seal and struggling to breathe. It’s distressing to baby because, not only are her airways inflamed and each barking cough causes discomfort, but the noises associated with croup can be scary to very young children. They find it difficult to breathe because their throats are swollen by inflammation. Croup can also create a sharp whistling sound (Stridor), when inhaling. Croup usually strikes at night when a child is sleeping, which is an alarming wake up call to little children and babies.

The best way to cope with a croupy baby is to remain calm, joke a little with baby about the big bark they’re making and soothe their airways with steam from a hot shower, a cool mist humidifier in their room, cool night air and extra TLC.

Croup, while it sounds horrible and can be frightening, usually only lasts a few days, although sleepless nights will make it seem longer. Try to remain calm and soothe your child as best you can. Crying and becoming agitated can further complicate their symptoms, which will cause your baby more distress.

Cough syrup does not help ease croup symptoms and is not good for your baby anyway, so please don’t give baby cough syrup for croup. I found that keeping a cool mist humidifier in their room, alternating between a steamy bathroom and bringing my babies outside into the cool night air was the only way to temporarily ease the barking cough and their breathing difficulty.  

If your baby or child isn’t responding well to any of these home remedies, by all means bundle baby up and head to your nearest emergency room where the doctor on call can evaluate if your child needs additional help by reducing throat swelling with a steroid treatment. Steroid treatments are delivered by an inhaler, orally or by injection.

For additional information about croup, this is a good medical reference page: Kid's Health - Croup

Copyright – 2009 - Rexanne Mancini

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Rexanne Mancini is the mother of two daughters, Justice and Liberty. She is a novelist, freelance writer and maintains an extensive yet informal parenting and family web site, Rexanne.com – http://www.rexanne.com -Visit her site for good advice, award-winning Internet holiday pages and some humor to help you cope. Subscribe to her free newsletter, Rexanne’s Web Review, for a monthly dose of Rexanne: http://www.rexanne.com/rwr-archives.html

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