Croup

Croup is caused by a viral infection and is most common in children three months to three years during the autumn and winter months. Younger tamariki are more affected because their airways are smaller.

Your child may have the following symptoms, before the “croupy cough” starts: 

• sore throat
• fever
• red eyes
• runny nose
• poor appetite

Swelling in the upper airways (voice box and windpipe) can cause:

• a ‘croupy cough’ – a harsh cough, often described as 'barking', that can sound like a seal
• hoarse voice
• noisy breathing (also called stridor) – it can sound like a high-pitched creaking or whistling sound when your child breathes in.

Symptoms may become worse at night or when upset, and usually last around 3-5 days.

While croup itself is not contagious, the viruses that cause it are. These viruses spread through the air through sneezing or coughing, so encourage good hand washing. Keep your child away from school or daycare until they are better to avoid spreading the illness.

Antibiotics do not help croup, since it’s caused by a virus.

If your child has a mild case of croup, then you can manage it at home without medication. With a mild case of croup, your child may have an occasional harsh, barking cough, and noisy breathing (stridor) only when active or agitated.

More severe cases of croup can cause noisy breathing (stridor) at rest or difficulty breathing.

Here are some tips to manage mild croup at home:

• Calm your child using a quiet, reassuring voice. Your child’s symptoms can become worse if they are distressed (you might need to take a few deep calming breaths to calm yourself too).
• Cuddle them while holding them upright to help their breathing
• Your child may enjoy you reading to them, singing or telling a story
• Sipping cool fluids can soothe the throat and help with the cough
• Croup often becomes worse at night and can wake tamariki from their sleep, so you might want to stay close to your child at nighttime in case they become upset or have trouble breathing.

Tamariki with moderate to severe croup may be given a single dose steroid medication by their doctor or nurse practitioner to help reduce the swelling in the airway.

Take your child to see a health professional if:

• you're worried
• your child is under six months
• your child is over six years and has signs and symptoms of croup (croup is uncommon in these ages so the symptoms may be caused by something else)
• your child has mild croup that lasts longer than four days
• if noisy breathing (stridor) returns after your child has recovered from croup.

Croup can get worse quickly. See a doctor urgently if:

• your child is distressed, seems anxious or restless
• your child has difficulty breathing
• your child is breathing quickly, or grunting when breathing
• your child's breastbone or the skin between their ribs sucks when they breathe in
• your child has noisy breathing ( stridor) when not crying or upset.

If you’re not sure what to do call PlunketLine anytime on 0800 933 922 – we can help.

When to call 111

You should call an ambulance immediately if your child:

• is struggling to breathe
• looks very sick and becomes pale and drowsy
• has lips that are blue in colour
• starts to drool or is having trouble swallowing
• has a change in their behaviour (becomes drowsy, agitated or delirious)
• has pauses in breathing.