What is the difference between croup and a cold

Croup is usually caused by a virus and often starts out as a cold. There are other causes of croup besides infection. For most croup symptoms, home remedies may be enough. Add moisture to the air your child is breathing by using a humidifier or sitting in the bathroom with the door closed while the shower is running. Cool air can also help to open up the airways a bit; try taking your child outside in the colder months for a few minutes to breathe the cold air. Make sure your child is getting plenty of fluids by offering plenty of breast milk or formula for babies, and water for older children.

Try to keep your child calm, comfortable and well-rested in order to avoid excessive crying, as this can make symptoms worse.

If any of these croup symptoms develop, you should seek medical care. Stridor high-pitched whistling noise when breathing in even when your child is at rest; stridor that occurs while the child is crying, coughing or active is not as much of a concern. Excessive sleepiness, sluggishness or listlessness Finally, if your child has excessive drooling or difficulty swallowing or starts to turn blue around the mouth, nose or fingernails, this is a medical emergency — call immediately.

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Frequent hand washing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick may reduce the risk of infection. Croup usually begins as a common cold with a stuffy or runny nose and fever. After a few days, the child's voice will seem hoarse and he or she will develop a harsh croup cough, described as sounding like a seal's bark.

They may also have problems drawing air into the lungs because of inflammation in the airway; the whistling noise that results when breathing in is called stridor. Croup symptoms most often occur after bedtime or in the middle of the night. Cough and breathing difficulties become more severe if the child is upset or crying. Symptoms generally last for three to five days. A child with spasmodic croup may not have cold symptoms initially, but the cough and breathing problems are the same as in children with infectious croup.

In general, croup goes away by itself within a few days. Antibiotics are not helpful since it's usually caused by a virus, not by bacteria. Parents can usually treat it with the following home remedies for croup. Contact a doctor if your child does not start breathing more easily with the treatments. He may need hospitalization to receive oxygen, steroid medications to open the airway, intravenous fluids for dehydration, or other treatments.

Antibiotics may also be necessary if the child has a bacterial infection. Although croup usually resolves without any problems, symptoms can occasionally become severe. Children who are born prematurely are most at risk for these complications. Contact your doctor if croup lasts longer than days or is becoming worse.

Also call your provider immediately if your child has the following symptoms:. All About Croup in Babies and Toddlers. Health care providers listen for the telltale cough and stridor. They'll also ask if a child has had any recent illnesses that caused a fever, runny nose, and congestion; and if the child has a history of croup or upper airway problems.

The doctor might order a neck X-ray if the croup is severe and slow to get better after treatment. In cases of croup, an X-ray usually will show the top of the airway narrowing to a point, which doctors call a "steeple" sign. Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Try to keep your child calm, as crying can make croup worse.

For a fever, medicine acetaminophen or, only for kids older than 6 months, ibuprofen may make your child more comfortable.

Ask your health care provider how much to give and follow the directions carefully. Your child should drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. If needed, give small amounts of liquid more often using a spoon or medicine dropper. Kids with croup also should get lots of rest.

Some kids need a breathing treatment that can be given in the hospital or a steroid medicine to reduce swelling in the airway. Rarely, kids with croup might need to stay in a hospital until they're breathing better. Most kids recover from croup with no lasting problems.