Croup
Croup is a viral illness in young children that causes swelling around the voice box and windpipe.
About croup
Croup is a viral illness in young children that causes swelling around the voice box and windpipe.
What can cause it?
Croup is usually a viral infection causing swelling around a young child's voice box and windpipe.
Symptoms often worsen at night and may include a barking cough and stridor.
What a patient may notice
Symptoms vary from person to person. Possible signs may include:
- Barking cough
- Hoarse voice
- Harsh high-pitched sound when breathing in
How clinicians find the cause
Diagnosis is usually clinical from the cough, voice, breathing sound, and effort. Imaging or testing is reserved for atypical or severe cases.
Treatment and next steps
- 1
A clinician may give corticosteroid medicine to reduce airway swelling.
- 2
Moderate or severe stridor may require inhaled epinephrine and observation.
- 3
Antibiotics and routine cough medicine do not treat viral croup.
Supporting recovery
- Keep the child calm and upright, offer fluids, and monitor breathing closely.
- Do not use steam that could burn the child or give unapproved cough medicine.
What to expect
Most viral croup improves over several days, and the barking cough may linger after noisy breathing settles. Symptoms often worsen at night. Children with stridor at rest or significant breathing effort may need medicine, observation, or hospital care until the airway swelling improves.
Possible complications
- Severe airway narrowing with low oxygen or respiratory failure
- Dehydration when breathing difficulty or illness prevents adequate drinking
- A more serious airway infection or another diagnosis when symptoms are unusually severe or do not improve
When to Contact a Medical Professional
A same-day medical evaluation is recommended, especially when symptoms are severe, worsening, or accompanied by fever, vomiting, weakness, or significant pain.
Call 911 if the child struggles to breathe, has noisy breathing at rest, drools or cannot swallow, turns blue or gray, becomes very sleepy, or cannot drink.Get emergency help for severe trouble breathing, new chest pressure, fainting, seizure, sudden weakness on one side, uncontrolled bleeding, blue or gray lips, or a person who is difficult to wake.
Ways to lower risk
- Hand hygiene and respiratory vaccination reduce some viral causes.
- Keep children away from smoke.
Trusted health information
This CHS patient-education page uses original wording and links to MedlinePlus for additional information.