Croup Health Article

Calling your health care provider

Most croup can be safely managed at home with telephone support from your health care provider. Call 911 if:

• The croup is possibly being caused by an insect sting or inhaled object
• The child has bluish lips or skin color
• The child is drooling
• The child is having trouble swallowing

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, call 911 or your health care provider for any of the following:

• Stridor (noise when breathing in)
• Retractions (tugging-in between the ribs when breathing in)
• Struggling to breathe
• Agitation or extreme irritability
• Not responding to home treatment

Prevention

Wash your hands frequently and avoid close contact with those who have a respiratory infection.

The diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae (Hib), and measles vaccines protect children from some of the most dangerous forms of croup.

References

Behrman RE. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 17^th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier; 2004.

Knutson D. Viral croup. Am Fam Physician. 2004; 69(3): 535-40.

Long, SS. Croup (viral laryngotracheobronchitis). In: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Elsevier, 2003; 210-211.

Murray JF, Nadel JA. Croup. In: Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed.W. B. Saunders Company, 2000; 960-961.

This article uses information by permission from Alan Greene, M.D., © Greene Ink, Inc.