What Day Is Croup the Worst?
What day is croup the worst
Most children with croup improve in about three to five days. However, if your child’s cough continues, gets worse or does not respond to home treatment, see your doctor as soon as possible.
Symptoms:
In some kids, the first symptoms of croup include a cough that sounds like a seal’s bark and a hoarse voice. They can also make a high-pitched squeaky sound as they breathe, called stridor.
The cough usually starts in the middle of the night and gets worse in the morning but progressively gets better throughout the day. The coughing may also get more severe if your child is crying, so try to keep your child quiet and comfortable while they’re sick.
You can ease a child’s symptoms at home by giving them lots of rest and plenty of fluids to drink. Some kids with croup can get a breathing treatment at the hospital or a steroid medicine to help reduce swelling in their airway.
Symptoms:
A cough that is more than just dry is a red flag for croup. It can be loud and very high-pitched, making it frightening for both you and your child. The cough can also sound like your child is choking on something in their throat.
Coughing can be helped with a humidifier, a damp towel placed over your child’s chest, or a steamy shower with the bathroom door closed. It’s important not to use a decongestant without your doctor’s advice, as they may dry the narrowing air passages and cause more problems.
Using a warm, wet washcloth on your child’s nose can help relieve nasal congestion and breathing problems. You can also try running hot water in a shower with the bathroom door closed and allowing your child to sit in the shower for about 10 minutes, breathing through the washcloth as you watch them.
Give acetaminophen (brand name: Children’s Tylenol) or ibuprofen (brand name: Children’s Advil or Motrin) for fever and chest discomfort. They can be given every ten minutes or as needed, but do not give your child any antibiotics as these won’t treat the infection and might make the croup worse.
Your child’s GP can prescribe a cough medicine to help clear up the cough. They can also prescribe a steroid liquid for a couple of days to help with the inflammation and swelling in the voice box and windpipe.
What day is croup the worst
When your child’s breathing becomes difficult or they seem very sick, call triple-zero to let paramedics know you need to take them to the emergency department. You can also give your child a pulse oximeter to check their oxygen levels.
Taking your child to the emergency room early can prevent more serious complications of croup, such as pneumonia. The best way to prevent croup is to protect your child from becoming infected by washing hands frequently with soap and water, keeping them away from people who have coughs or colds and having the diphtheria and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) vaccines regularly up to the age of two.
