Croup often begins as a typical cold. If there is enough inflammation and coughing, a child will develop a loud barking cough. This often is worse at night, and is further aggravated by crying and coughing, as well as anxiety and agitation, setting up a cycle of worsening symptoms. Fever and a hoarse voice are common, too. Your child's breathing may be noisy or labored.
Because children have small airways, they are most susceptible to having more marked symptoms with croup, particularly children younger than three years old.
Nighttime croup symptoms of labored breathing can often lead concerned parents to bring their child to the emergency room.
Symptoms of croup usually last for three to five days.
When to see a doctor
Less than 5 percent of children develop airway obstruction serious enough to require hospitalization. You should seek immediate medical attention if your child:
Jan. 30, 2013
- Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds (stridor) both when inhaling and exhaling
- Begins drooling or has difficulty swallowing
- Seems anxious, agitated or fatigued
- Breathes at a faster rate than usual
- Struggles to breathe
- Develops blue or grayish skin around the nose, mouth or fingernails (cyanosis)
- Flint PW, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..X0001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05283-2&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
- Woods CR. Approach to the management of croup. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
- Zoorob R, et al. Croup: An overview. American Family Physician. 2011;83:1067.
- Russell KF, et al. Glucocorticoids for croup. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001955.pub3/abstract. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
- Wilkinson JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 29, 2012.