Croup Cough is a respiratory condition that usually affects young people. This commonly involves children of ages 6 months to 3 years old. It is caused by a viral infection that results to the inflammation of the larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe) and sometimes of the bronchial tubes; thus, it is also called laryngotracheobronchitis or LTB.

People would easily recognize this health disorder as it presents a very distinct kind of cough. Since the larynx or the voice box is inflamed, a child who has Croup Cough will produce a barking or seal-like sounding cough. This affectation is also the reason why a kid has hoarseness of the voice.

Signs and symptoms of Croup Cough usually are noticeable 2 to 6 days after the virus infects a child. As viruses typically attack when there is a sudden change of weather from a warm climate to a cold season and/or vice versa, most incidents of this respiratory illness happen during late fall to winter or from winter to early summer time.

A kid would have, as already mentioned, a barking or seal sounding type of cough and a voice that is hoarse. In addition to these symptoms, inspiratory stridor, coughing that gets better at night, inflammation and mucus build-up in the respiratory airways, decreased appetite, and low-grade fever may be observed.

Diagnosis of Croup Cough is mostly by the characteristic cough that a patient will have. A physician would also obtain a history of signs and symptoms of the common cold (e.g., runny nose, fever), croup and other upper airway issues. There is also a test called the Westley Score used to classify the severity of the condition. It tallies the scores from 0 (normal to no remarkable findings) to 3 (severe degree of symptoms) of a child’s air entry or movement, cyanosis (bluish discoloration), level of alertness, chest wall retraction, and degree of stridor. X-ray is not routinely utilized as it is only performed to rule out other diseases.

Treatment for Croup Cough, just like with most viral infections, is of the conservative nature. Guardians should ensure that the kid gets adequate bed rest to decrease oxygen consumption, hydration to help with the mucus build-up, and nutrition especially of foods rich in vitamins A and C to sustain and boost the immune system. Proper positioning and moist air through a cool mist humidifier could alleviate the presence of difficulty of breathing. Just make sure not to use a hot steam vaporizer as this method has the risk of the child getting burned. The young one can also be given medicine for his fever such as acetaminophen.

For moderate cases of Croup Cough, steroids are administered to decrease the level of inflammation. With severe obstruction of the airways, epinephrine is given to dilate the air passages. This condition rarely has complications. If ever, it could lead to ear infections or pneumonia.

Parents are advised to call a doctor when they observe the child to have:

- Fast breathing
- Inspiratory stridor
- Exhausted appearance
- Signs of dehydration (e.g., sunken eyes, skin goes back slowly after pinching)
- Retractions (ribs are visible when breathing)
- Pale or bluish color of mouth

Croup Cough is normally seen in premature babies and asthmatic children. It is also more common in kids who have Down syndrome.

Croup Cough can be recurrent as it is viral in causation (usually parainfluenza virus). And as with any virus, each kind will have multiple strains wherein the body’s immune system would have to constantly adjust to.

The best way to ensure that Croup Cough will unlikely afflict a child is to teach them to wash their hands properly; likewise, exposure to people with respiratory infections should be avoided.