How to Tell if Your Child Has Croup

Your child wakes up in the night with a horrible-sounding barking cough and appears to be having trouble breathing. This can be a frightening scenario, but if you can recognize the symptoms of croup, you can stay calm and help everyone get back to sleep.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fluids
• Moist air (humidifier if you live in a dry area)

1. Recognize the sound of a croupy cough. A croupy cough has a harsh, repetitive sound that resembles the barking of a seal. It's caused by swelling around the vocal cords and windpipe. When the cough reflex forces air through this small passageway, the vocal cords vibrate and produce the barking noise.

2. Croup usually appears at night. If you hear the barking sound at night and you haven't heard it during the day, your child probably has croup.

3. Know that there may be a fever. A fever often, but not always, accompanies croup.

4. Offer him fluids and keep him calm if you determine that your child has croup. Croup responds well to cool, moist air. If it isn't cold outside, take a walk. If it's too cold, place a humidifier in your child's room and read or sing to him until he calms down and falls asleep.

Tips & Warnings

• Unless you fear something besides croup, don't bother going to the emergency room. They can't do anything there that you can't do at home.
• If your child's cough is getting worse and doesn't respond well to cool, moist air, call your doctor.