What You Need To Know If Your Child Develops A 'Barking' Cough
It sounds terrifying—but might be totally treatable.
by Korin Miller Published: Jan 25, 2018
Croup is one of those things you probably never heard of before you became a mom, and will never forget once you experience it.
Not only does it have a weird name, croup causes a unique "barking" cough that sounds pretty intense (a.k.a. the "croup cough"). "It's really scary to parents, but it usually sounds worse than it is," says Ari Cohen, M.D., chief of the division of pediatric emergency medicine at the MassGeneral Hospital for Children.
Croup, which is also called laryngotracheitis, is a viral illness that's usually caused by the parainfluenza virus, says Gina Posner, M.D., a pediatrician at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. While kids can have it at any age, children are the most likely to get it between six months and 3 years old, she says.
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Croup Symtoms
Croup can cause a runny nose, congestion, a fever, and that "barking" cough, which is caused by inflammation in the child's voice box and trachea area, says Ashanti Woods, M.D., a pediatrician at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center.
These remedies will help cure a cold or flu:
Croup Treatments
If your child has it, don't panic, there are a few croup treatments you an try at home. First, Woods says it's important to make sure your child drinks plenty of liquids and, if they seem to be in pain or have a fever, give them Tylenol or ibuprofen. Use a humidifier at night to try to add moisture to the air in their room or run a hot shower and sit in the steam-filled room with your child for 10 to 15 minutes to try to open up their airways a bit, Woods says.
Still, the at-home remedies don't always do the trick, which is why you probably want to take your toddler to the doctor, too, says Danelle Fisher, M.D., chair of pediatrics at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. (If they seem to be struggling to breathe, go to the ER immediately.) If your doctor diagnoses your child with the croup, they'll likely prescribe an oral steroid like dexamethasone, which can help decrease the inflammation, Fisher says. "It's not a magic bullet and doesn't make the kid fine right away, but should begin to decrease inflammation in the airway over several hours," Cohen says.
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If your child has to go to the ER, they'll likely be given a nebulizer treatment of epinephrine, which can help open up their lungs, as well as dexamethasone, Cohen says.
In the majority of cases, croup is a pretty mild illness—it just sounds intense. But it's always a good idea to check in with your doctor if your child has that nasty cough, just in case.