what is croup??how can i get rid of it??

Question

my 3 month old has a bad cough but every time i take her to see the doctor her chest is clear. e thinks its croup but how can i get rid of it

Answer 1

The term croup does not refer to a single illness, but rather a group of conditions involving inflammation of the upper airway that leads to a cough that sounds like a bark, particularly when a child is crying.

Most croup is caused by viruses, but similar symptoms may occasionally be caused by bacteria or an allergic reaction. The viruses most commonly involved are parainfluenza virus (accounting for most cases), adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, influenza, and measles.

Most children with viral croup are between the ages of 3 months and 5 years old. Croup is most likely to occur during the winter months and early spring, and symptoms are most severe in children younger than 3 years of age.

Most croup due to viruses is mild and can be treated at home, though rarely viral croup can be severe and even life-threatening. Some children are more prone to developing croup, especially those who were born prematurely or with narrowed upper airways.

The term spasmodic croup refers to a condition similar to viral croup, except that there are no accompanying symptoms of an infection. The cough frequently begins at night with a sudden onset. The child usually has no fever with spasmodic croup. The symptoms are treated the same for either form of croup.
Signs and Symptoms

Croup is characterized by a loud cough that may sound like the barking of a seal and may be accompanied by fast or difficult breathing and sometimes a grunting noise or wheezing while breathing.

At first, a child may have cold symptoms like a stuffy or runny nose for a few days and may also have fever. As the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes progressively inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough.

If the upper airway becomes swollen to the point where it is partially blocked off, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe. This happens with severe croup. With severe croup, there may be a high-pitched or squeaking noise when breathing in (this is called stridor). A child will tend to breathe very fast, and the stomach or the skin between the child's ribs may seem to pull in during breathing. The child may also appear pale or bluish around the mouth because he is not getting enough oxygen.

Symptoms of croup often worsen at night and when the child is upset or crying. In addition to the effects on the upper airway, the infections that cause croup can result in inflammation further down the airway, including the bronchi (breathing tubes) and the lungs.
Contagiousness

Croup tends to occur in outbreaks in the winter and early spring when the viruses that usually cause it peak. Many children who come in contact with the viruses that cause croup will not get croup, but will instead have symptoms of a head cold.
Diagnosis

Doctors can usually diagnose croup by looking for the telltale barking cough and stridor, the squeaking sound on inhaling. They will also check the child for fever, cold symptoms (like a runny nose), or a recent viral illness, and ask questions to find out if the child has a prior history of croup or upper airway problems.

If the child's croup is severe and slow to respond to treatment, a neck X-ray may also be taken to rule out any other reasons for the breathing difficulty, such as a foreign object lodged in the throat or epiglottitis (an inflammation of the epiglottis, the flap of tissue that covers the windpipe). Typical findings on an X-ray if a child has croup includes the top of the airway narrowing to a point, which doctors call a steeple sign.
Treatment

Most, though not all, cases of viral croup are mild. Breathing in moist air seems to relieve many of the symptoms. Doctors will also sometimes treat with steroids, which helps with the airway swelling.

One way to humidify the air is with a cool-mist humidifier. Having your child breathe in the moist air through the mouth will sometimes break a croup attack. Or try running a hot shower to create a steam-filled bathroom where you can sit with your child for 10 minutes. Try cuddling and reading a bedtime story while doing this to help calm your child.

Sometimes, during cooler months, taking your child outside for a few minutes can help break the attack because the cool air can shrink the swollen tissues lining the airway. Parents can also try driving the child in the car with the windows down to bring in cool air.

If your child has croup, consider sleeping overnight in the same room to provide close observation. If you are not able to break your child's fast breathing and croupy cough, call your child's doctor or seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Medical professionals will need to evaluate your child if the croup appears serious or if there's any suspicion of airway blockage or bacterial infection. Medications such as epinephrine or corticosteroids may be given to reduce swelling in the upper airways. Oxygen may also be given, and sometimes a child with croup will remain in the hospital overnight for observation. As with most illnesses, rest and plenty of fluids are recommended.
Duration

The symptoms of croup generally peak 2 to 3 days after the symptoms of infection start. Croup resulting from viral infection usually lasts less than a week.
Complications

The vast majority of children recover from croup with no complications. Rarely, some children will develop complications such as ear infection or pneumonia.

Children who were born prematurely or who have a history of lung disease (such as asthma) are more likely to develop severe symptoms of croup and may require hospitalization. Croup rarely causes any long-term complications.
Prevention

Frequent hand washing and avoiding contact with people who have respiratory infections are the best ways to reduce the chance of spreading the viruses that cause croup.
When to Call Your Child's Doctor

Immediately call your child's doctor or seek medical attention if your child has any of the following symptoms:

* difficulty breathing, including rapid breathing, belly sinking in while breathing, or the skin
* between the ribs pulling in with each breath
* stridor
* pale or bluish color around the mouth
* drooling or difficulty swallowing
* greater inactivity than usual when ill
* high fever
* very sick appearance

Answer 2

Best Thing For Croup

Answer 3

If it is croup then it should go away within a week. Croup is a virus of the voice box, there for you can only let it ride the course. You can put a cool mist humitifier in your babies room and that should help. If you live somewhere cool, take you baby outside and let her breath in the cold air (this will shrink the inflamation down). Croup is not really dangerous unless it gets really bad and does not go away. In most cases it goes away by itself. If your baby does have croup it will sound like a barking seal.

Answer 4

I was plagued with croup since i was little - and it kept on coming back until I was about 11.

Some things you can do are:
Keep your bubba warm (and breating in warm air) as much as possible
Don't let he be around smoke - from ciggerretes or fires, outside or inside
If her coughing is bad, turn the hot water taps on the bath on (with the plug in.) and run the water to make it steamy in the room, letting her breathe in the steam. This used to help me - sometimes even just enough so i could sleep. Even a bowl of steamy water can help. Just don't let her get burned :)

Answer 5

In the old days,we used cough syrup and /or steam from having the shower running with the hot water on. Mom and child sat in the bathroom,breathing the steam,it seemed to relax the child (and Mom)and the croup would lessen.And by the way ,adults also get croup.

Answer 6

You can't really get rid of it. But i would start with finding a new hobby. And stop writing so much on the computer. Do physical activities with your friends. Set a goal for yourself to only stay on the computer for two hours then cut down every month. It could save you a few bucks on the electric bill!!! ;). Basically find something else to do, if you can't look at what movies are coming on, what events that sound kinda cool. Be out there instead of inside here.

Answer 7

Croup is characterized by a barking cough that is relieved by steam inhalation or using an nebulizer with saline to ease congestion.

Answer 8

I usetoo get the croup alll the time when i was little. my mom wuold have to bring me to the dr's all the time and he would give me this pink medican..
It's deff. not a good feeling when you get it...
I had to take the medican, which was a liquid an she would mix it in with applesauce... an she left a steam thing in my room to clear my chest...

Answer 9

hi = croup can be dangerous...take the baby to the hospital as soon as it starts again so that they can hear the chest and cough...you can't get rid of it without anitbiotics..good luck...if it happens and you can't get to a clinic or doctor soon enough use cool air to open the air ways...but please don't go untreated

Answer 10

the best treatment for croup is steam, my neice had it when she was 5 months old. and it cleared up pretty quickly

Answer 11

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