When do children stop getting croup

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. But some kids — especially those who were born early , or have asthma or other lung diseases — can be at risk for problems from croup.

Reviewed by: Rachel S. Schare, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Croup? Most kids with croup get better in a week or so. What Are the Symptoms of Croup? Symptoms of croup are often worse at night and when a child is upset or crying. What Causes Croup? Croup usually affects young children aged between six months and three years, with most cases occurring in one-year-olds. However, croup can sometimes develop in babies as young as three months, and older children up to 15 years of age.

Adults can also get croup but this is rare. Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Sitting your child upright and comforting them if they are distressed is important, because crying may make symptoms worse.

Your child should also drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. A single dose of an oral corticosteroid medication called dexamethasone or prednisolone will usually also be prescribed to help reduce the swelling in the throat.

If your child has breathing problems they may need hospital treatment, such as adrenaline and oxygen through a mask. Read more about treating croup.

Most cases of croup clear up within 48 hours. However, in some cases symptoms can last for up to two weeks. There are a number of conditions that can follow croup, such as pneumonia and middle ear infection. Read more about the complications of croup. Good hygiene is the main defence against croup, such as regularly washing hands and cleaning surfaces. A number of your child's routine vaccinations also protect against some of the infections that can cause croup.

These include:. A child can get croup at any time of the year, although it's more likely to occur during late autumn or early winter.

This may be because there are more viruses, such as colds and flu, around at this time of year. Stridor is often most noticeable when the child cries or coughs. But in more severe cases of croup it can also occur when the child is resting or sleeping. Although croup symptoms usually only last for a few days, they can occasionally last up to two weeks.

You should take them to your nearest hospital's accident and emergency department or dial for an ambulance. Some of these symptoms may indicate a potentially life-threatening underlying condition called epiglottitis inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis. The symptoms could also indicate tracheitis inflammation of the windpipe , which also requires immediate medical attention.

Croup usually develops as the result of a viral infection. The infection causes the larynx voice box to become swollen and the trachea windpipe to become blocked, and may affect the tubes in the lungs bronchi. It is sometimes called laryngo-tracheo-bronchitis. The parainfluenza virus is the most common cause of croup.

Four strains of the virus are responsible for most croup cases. These are:. The virus can be transmitted through close contact with infected people, as well as contaminated objects and surfaces.

As with many airborne viruses, the parainfluenza virus is often spread by breathing in droplets from infected coughs or sneezes. A GP can diagnose croup by studying your child's symptoms, particularly the sound of their cough.

Croup is a common childhood condition that mainly affects babies' and young children's airways. It's usually mild, but it's important to call NHS if you think your child has croup. Keeping him calm may help him breathe better. In the past, parents may have been advised to try steam treatment in the bathroom. Though some parents may find that this helps improve breathing, there are no studies to prove that inhaling steam in a bathroom is effective.

There are also no studies to prove that breathing in moist, cool night airs helps improve breathing. If you are concerned that your child's croup is not improving, contact your child's doctor, local emergency department, or emergency medical services even if it is the middle of the night.

Consider calling if your child:. If your child has viral croup, your child's doctor or the emergency department doctor may give your child a breathing treatment with epinephrine adrenaline to decrease the swelling. After epinephrine is given, your child should be observed for 3 to 4 hours to confirm that croup symptoms do not return. A steroid medicine may also be prescribed to reduce the swelling. Steroids can be inhaled, taken by mouth, or given by injection.

Treatment with a few doses of steroids should do no harm. Steroids may decrease the intensity of symptoms, the need for other medications, and time spent in the hospital and emergency department. For spasmodic croup, your child's doctor may recommend allergy or reflux medicines to help your child's breathing.

Antibiotics , which treat bacteria, are not helpful for treating croup because they are almost always caused by a virus or by allergy or reflux. Cough syrups are not useful and may do harm. Another cause of stridor and serious breathing problems is acute supraglottitis also called epiglottitis. This is a dangerous infection, usually caused by bacteria, with symptoms that can resemble croup. Luckily, this infection is much less common now because of the Haemophilus influenzae type b Hib vaccine.

Rarely, supraglottitis is caused by other bacteria. Acute supraglottitis usually affects children 2 to 5 years of age and comes on suddenly with a high fever. Your child may seem very sick. He may have a muffled voice and prefer to sit upright with his neck extended and face tilted upward in a "sniffing" position to make his breathing easier. He also may drool because he cannot swallow the saliva in his mouth.

If not treated, this disease could rapidly lead to complete blockage of your child's airway. Your child must go to the hospital right away. If he has supraglottitis, he will need antibiotics, and he may also need a tube in his windpipe to help him breathe. Call your child's doctor right away if you think your child may have supraglottitis.

Your child should get the first dose of the Hib vaccine when he is 2 months of age.