How to treat croup in kids?

Who knew that the common cold could cause so much trouble! Croup is a nasty throaty cough that mainly affects young children. It’s like Darth Vader took over your child’s body except the force isn’t with them. While it might be concerning, not to worry parents we’re here today to give you all the information on how to deal with this pesky condition!

What is Croup?

Croup is a respiratory infection usually caused by parainfluenza viruses and typically affects young children between 6 months and 3 years old. However, don’t let its target demographic make light of this condition because it’s honestly just as rough as its older counterpart.

When your child has croup, they will develop swelling in their vocal cords resulting in changes in voice tone along with breathing difficulties ranging from moderate wheezing or sharp stridor sounds accompanying each breath (I know those medical terms sound scary but hold tight).

Luckily for you guys hearing these noises during normal activities such as eating or sleeping helps determine if they have developed croup quickly.

Symptoms

  • Stridor-like sound when inhaling
  • Barking cough
  • Hoarse voice
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • High fever (not funny at all)

Treating mild croups

Many cases of croup are mild and can be treated within two days without any serious intervention. So if your little one starts barking like someone added woof juice into their system then do not panic and try out these remedies:

1) Humidifying environment: One excellent treatment option especially for milder cases involves creating an atmosphere similar to tropical rainforests (Insert image of Amazon Rainforest) That’s right people crank up that hot shower knob till kingdom come until steam envelops the entire bathroom. Bonus points for adding Eucalyptus oils! This method works a charm in relieving croup symptoms

2) Popsicles:

Believe it or not kids love popsicles, so use that to your advantage! The cold temperature of the popsicle provides relief for their little throaties.

Treating moderate to severe cases

Now let’s get into what you should do when things take a turn for the worst.

1) Medical attention:

Okay, I might’ve joked about this being Darth vader’s body overtaking but trust me it can actually lead to life-threatening situations. So if you find that the humidifier and popsicle remedies aren’t working within one-two days then please go ahead and schedule an appointment with your pediatrician. They’ll probably prescribe corticosteroids (Medication designed to reduce inflammation in airways making breathing easier)

2) Nebulizer treatment:

Inhaling adrenaline vapor through a machine is nothing children would enjoy especially since they’d have to wear something like (picture of an astronaut suit) But nebulizer treatments are known as some of the most effective ways of treating severe respiratory conditions such as asthma or pneumonia.

Prevention tips

So now we’ve discussed treatment options but how about prevention? After all prevention is better than cure (go figure!)

Hygiene:
Croups can easily spread due to its virus nature, and it occurs more often during Autumn and Winter seasons hence practicing proper hygiene methods goes a long way in preventing exposure towards various viruses/bacteria. For instance washing hands regularly, using sanitizing wipes/ sprays on commonly touched toys/objects around homes etc.,

Vaccination:
Preventive measures also come in forms of vaccinations particularly for those at high risk like newborns after 6 months or those suffering from any congenital defects ‘cuz sometimes babies doesn’t know how serious things are!

Takeaway

Phew okay so there you have it folks everything there is on treating Croup disease! Remember, Croup can be mild but it can also quickly worsen and potentially be life-threatening so take every step seriously. That being said, most cases of croup clear up within a couple of days with the right remedies in place.

Stay vigilant parents there are plenty more health-related issues to worry about!

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