Health
Treatment of Croup
The term croup does not refer to a single illness, but rather a group of conditions involving inflammation of the upper airway that leads to a cough that sounds like a bark, particularly when a child is crying.
In severe cases of croup, there may also be a bacterial super-infection of the upper airway. This condition is called bacterial tracheitis andrequires hospitalization andintravenous antibiotics. If theepiglottis becomes infected, the entire windpipe can swell shut, a potentially fatal condition called epiglottitis.
Symptoms of croup are caused by narrowed airways. They include a barking cough; a raspy, hoarse voice;
and a harsh, crowing noise when breathing in. The cough is very distinctive, so you’ll know it when you hear it. It is often compared to the sound of a barking seal. Sometimeschildren breathe fast and need to sit
up to breathe better.
The harsh, barking cough is the result of swelling around the vocal cords (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). When the cough reflex forces air through this narrowed passage, the vocal cords vibrate with a barking noise. Because children have small airways to begin with, those younger than age 5 are most susceptible to croup.
Croup is most often caused by parainfluenza virus, primarily types 1 and 2, but other viral and possibly bacterial infections can also cause it. It is most common in the fall and winter but can occur year-round, with a slight predilection for males.
The respiratory distress is caused by the inflammatory response to the infection, rather than by the infection itself. It usually occurs in young children as their airways are smaller and differently shaped than adults’, making them more susceptible.
