How long does croup last in kids

Back to Health A-Z. Croup is an inflammation of the airways. It's common in children under 3 years old. Croup is caused by a viral infection of the voice box larynx and windpipe trachea.

Page last reviewed: 18 September Next review due: 18 September Possible causes of cough and cold-like symptoms in children Symptoms Possible cause Runny nose, sneezing, cough and temperature Cold Cold-like symptoms, wheezing, rapid breathing, not feeding Bronchiolitis Cold-like symptoms with bouts of coughing — your child may "whoop" when breathing in Whooping cough.

Stridor: A nother Health Problem of Croup Stridor is a harsh, raspy tight sound best heard with breathing in Loud or constant stridor means severe croup. So does stridor at rest when not crying or coughing. All stridor needs to be treated with warm mist Most children with stridor need treatment with a steroid such as Decadron For any stridor, see First Aid for treatment Causes of a Croupy Cough Viral Croup. Viruses are the most common cause of croup symptoms. Many respiratory viruses can infect the vocal cord area and cause narrowing.

Even influenza the flu can do this. A fever is often present with the barky cough. Allergic Croup. A croupy cough can occur with exposure to pollens or allergens in a barn. A runny nose, itchy eyes and sneezing are also often present. Inhaled Powder. This swelling makes the airway narrower, so it is harder to breathe.

Children with croup develop a harsh, barking cough and may make a noisy, high-pitched sound when they breathe in stridor. Croup mostly affects children between six months and five years old, but it can affect older children. Some children get croup several times. Croup can get worse quickly. If your child is having problems breathing, seek urgent medical attention.

Croup often begins without warning, in the middle of the night. The symptoms are often worse at night, and are at their worst on the second or third night of the illness. The signs and symptoms of croup may last for three to four days; however, a cough may linger for up to three weeks.

The stridor should not persist. A mild attack of croup is when your child has the harsh, barking cough but does not have stridor when they are calm and settled, and they are not struggling to breathe. No medical treatment is necessary for mild croup, or the virus that has caused it. You can usually manage mild croup at home with the following care:.