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Croup is an infection that affects your breathing và causes a distinct “barking” cough. It usually impacts young kids, but in rare cases, adults can develop croup too.

Overview

Researchers don’t know how common croup is in adults. A study published in 2017 reported on what the authors described as the 15th adult croup case documented in literature.

Read on to lớn learn more about what causes croup và how doctors treat it.

Symptoms

Symptoms of croup may include:

a loud, barking cough that gets worse at nightlabored, noisy, or “whistling” breathinghigh feverhoarse voiceagitation

These symptoms last about three to lớn five days.

The most telltale signs of croup are a cough that sounds lượt thích a barking seal and a high-pitched, whistling sound when you take a breath. See your doctor if you have these signature signs of the illness.

Symptoms are usually worse in adults than in children. A 2000 study looked at 11 cases of adult croup và compared them to lớn 43 cases of child croup. Researchers found upper respiratory tract symptoms & noisy breathing were more common in adults.

Causes

Croup is usually caused by a contagious virus, such as a parainfluenza virus. These viruses can spread if you breathe in air droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The droplets can also survive on surfaces, so you can become infected if you cảm biến an object và then touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.

When a virut attacks your body, it can produce swelling around your vocal cords, windpipe, & bronchial tubes. This swelling causes symptoms of croup.

Adults may catch the contagious virus, but they have larger airways, so they’re unlikely khổng lồ develop croup. Kids, because of their smaller breathing passages, are more apt khổng lồ feel the effects of the swelling & inflammation.

Croup in adults can also be caused by:

other virusesa fungal infection
Diagnosis

Your doctor can diagnose croup by listening lớn your breathing with a stethoscope & examining your throat. Sometimes, a chest X-ray is performed khổng lồ confirm that it’s croup và not something else.

It’s important to get a diagnosis early on so you can begin treatment before your condition becomes severe. See your doctor if you suspect croup.

Treatment

Adults with croup may need more aggressive treatment than children.

Your doctor might prescribe a steroid, such as dexamethasone (Dex
Pak) or epinephrine (nebulized — that is, in the form of a mist) to lessen swelling in your airways.

You might need lớn spend time in the hospital if your condition is severe. Studies show adults with croup typically stay in the hospital longer than children with croup.

Sometimes doctors will need to place a breathing tube in your windpipe lớn help you breathe.

Most kids start feeling better within three to five days, but adults might need more time lớn recover.

Home remedies

Some home remedies that may help speed up your recovery include the following:

Drink lots of fluids. Staying hydrated is important when you have croup. Rest. Getting enough sleep can help your toàn thân fight off the virus.Stay in an upright position. Sitting upright can help your symptoms. Propping extra pillows under your head may while in bed may also help you khổng lồ sleep better.Use over-the-counter pain relievers. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or other pain medicines can lower your fever & reduce your pain.
Croup is a common childhood illness that causes swelling in the upper airway. This can cause a change in voice and characteristic “croupy” cough that sounds lượt thích a seal or bark. There are a number of viruses that have been found lớn cause croup, the most common being parainfluenza virus.

The infection can be associated with nasal congestion, cough, sore throat and fever. Upper airway swelling can cause children khổng lồ have just a sore throat, or if more severe, can cause distress when breathing in. This type of difficulty breathing results in a high-pitched creaking or whistling sound when a child inhales (known as stridor) và a harsh cough that sounds lượt thích a seal’s bark.

This is different than the wheezing that occurs when a child has difficulty breathing air out of the lungs. Wheezing occurs in asthma, which is a problem in the lungs; stridor occurs in croup, which is a problem in the upper airway.

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Who does croup affect?

Younger children are more affected by croup because their airways are smaller. A small amount of swelling in a narrow airway can make it hard khổng lồ breathe, compared to lớn a small amount of swelling in a wider airway, which may be only a minor irritation with no breathing problems.

Croup is most commonly seen in:

Children 6 months khổng lồ 3 years old
The fall & winter months

How serious is croup?

Most cases of croup are mild and may just require parental guidance & reassurance. Mild symptoms include occasional barking cough, hoarseness, & stridor only when the child is active or agitated.

Symptoms are often worse at night & can wake the child from sleep.

Harsh cough and breathing issues with croup can sometimes be turned around with simple measures at home lượt thích cool air from an open window, steam from steaming the bathroom, or using a humidifier. Breathing issues with croup are worse when your child is upset or anxious. Doing whatever you can to lớn calm them down will help.

Children with mild croup usually improve in three lớn seven days.

Croup can present with more severe symptoms & breathing issues that don’t resolve with simple trang chủ measures. If you have concerns about your child’s breathing, you should bring them for medical evaluation right away.

Can I treat croup at home?

In most cases, a child’s mild croup symptoms can be turned around with simple home remedies.

Dr. Hughes suggests the following:

Use a cool mist humidifier.Take the child into a steamed bathroom.Take the child outside into cool, moist, night air.Encourage the child to drink lots of fluids.Treat a fever with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as instructed by your child’s provider.Engage the child in a calming activity khổng lồ keep them as quiet and calm as possible, which will make it easier for them to breathe.Stay in close proximity to lớn the ill child at nighttime khổng lồ immediately assist the child if they begin khổng lồ have difficulty breathing.

When does croup require emergency care?

Dr. Hughes says the majority of children who come to lớn kholike.com’s Emergency Department (ED) with croup are able to be discharged home after some medication and possibly an observation period. Frequently, by the time a family arrives at the ED, the swelling in the child’s lungs has lessened and their breathing issues have largely resolved due to their exposure to the cool outside air while en route to the hospital. These children are typically given a single oral dose of steroids lớn help the swelling in their throat go down và improve symptoms until the illness passes in a few days.

However, Dr. Hughes stresses that some children with severe croup vị need medical treatment lớn improve their breathing. It is important lớn have them evaluated promptly at the Emergency Department. They may need a breathing treatment (racemic epinephrine) to lớn calm their breathing & a period of observation lớn ensure symptoms vị not recur. There are few children who are admitted lớn the hospital for recurrent treatment & observation, and the most severe cases may need additional breathing support.

According to lớn Dr. Hughes, signs your child has severe croup include:

Difficulty breathing accompanied by a “barking” or “croupy” cough
Stridor (noisy breathing with inspiration) even at rest
Chest area around the collarbone và ribs pulling in with each breath (called retraction)

If a child has repeated bouts of croup, especially more than two illnesses a year, they are said to lớn have recurrent croup and should be seen by a pediatric otolaryngologist, a doctor that specializes in conditions of the ears, nose & throat (ENT), to determine the underlying cause of the condition.

Learn more about croup.

Croup is a common childhood illness that causes swelling in the upper airway. This can cause a change in voice and characteristic “croupy” cough that sounds lượt thích a seal or bark. There are a number of viruses that have been found khổng lồ cause croup, the most common being parainfluenza virus.

The infection can be associated with nasal congestion, cough, sore throat và fever. Upper airway swelling can cause children to lớn have just a sore throat, or if more severe, can cause distress when breathing in. This type of difficulty breathing results in a high-pitched creaking or whistling sound when a child inhales (known as stridor) and a harsh cough that sounds like a seal’s bark.

This is different than the wheezing that occurs when a child has difficulty breathing air out of the lungs. Wheezing occurs in asthma, which is a problem in the lungs; stridor occurs in croup, which is a problem in the upper airway.

Who does croup affect?

Younger children are more affected by croup because their airways are smaller. A small amount of swelling in a narrow airway can make it hard khổng lồ breathe, compared to a small amount of swelling in a wider airway, which may be only a minor irritation with no breathing problems.

Croup is most commonly seen in:

Children 6 months to 3 years old
The fall & winter months

How serious is croup?

Most cases of croup are mild và may just require parental guidance and reassurance. Mild symptoms include occasional barking cough, hoarseness, và stridor only when the child is active or agitated.

Symptoms are often worse at night and can wake the child from sleep.

Harsh cough và breathing issues with croup can sometimes be turned around with simple measures at home lượt thích cool air from an open window, steam from steaming the bathroom, or using a humidifier. Breathing issues with croup are worse when your child is upset or anxious. Doing whatever you can to lớn calm them down will help.

Children with mild croup usually improve in three to lớn seven days.

Croup can present with more severe symptoms và breathing issues that don’t resolve with simple home measures. If you have concerns about your child’s breathing, you should bring them for medical evaluation right away.

Can I treat croup at home?

In most cases, a child’s mild croup symptoms can be turned around with simple trang chủ remedies.

Dr. Hughes suggests the following:

Use a cool mist humidifier.Take the child into a steamed bathroom.Take the child outside into cool, moist, night air.Encourage the child to drink lots of fluids.Treat a fever with acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as instructed by your child’s provider.Engage the child in a calming activity lớn keep them as quiet and calm as possible, which will make it easier for them to breathe.Stay in close proximity khổng lồ the ill child at nighttime lớn immediately assist the child if they begin to lớn have difficulty breathing.

When does croup require emergency care?

Dr. Hughes says the majority of children who come khổng lồ kholike.com’s Emergency Department (ED) with croup are able khổng lồ be discharged trang chủ after some medication and possibly an observation period. Frequently, by the time a family arrives at the ED, the swelling in the child’s lungs has lessened and their breathing issues have largely resolved due to lớn their exposure khổng lồ the cool outside air while en route khổng lồ the hospital. These children are typically given a single oral dose of steroids to help the swelling in their throat go down and improve symptoms until the illness passes in a few days.

However, Dr. Hughes stresses that some children with severe croup vì need medical treatment to lớn improve their breathing. It is important khổng lồ have them evaluated promptly at the Emergency Department. They may need a breathing treatment (racemic epinephrine) to lớn calm their breathing and a period of observation khổng lồ ensure symptoms do not recur. There are few children who are admitted to lớn the hospital for recurrent treatment và observation, and the most severe cases may need additional breathing support.

According khổng lồ Dr. Hughes, signs your child has severe croup include:

Difficulty breathing accompanied by a “barking” or “croupy” cough
Stridor (noisy breathing with inspiration) even at rest
Chest area around the collarbone & ribs pulling in with each breath (called retraction)

If a child has repeated bouts of croup, especially more than two illnesses a year, they are said lớn have recurrent croup và should be seen by a pediatric otolaryngologist, a doctor that specializes in conditions of the ears, nose & throat (ENT), lớn determine the underlying cause of the condition.

Learn more about croup.

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