What should you know about cough medicine and croup?

Croup is an upper-airway illness that can make a child’s cough sound harsh or barking. Swelling around the voice box may produce a high-pitched noise when breathing in, called stridor. A cough suppressant cannot remove that swelling, and combination products may contain ingredients that are unsuitable for young children. Croup often follows cold symptoms, but the severity of breathing symptoms matters more than the sound of the cough alone.

Keep your child calm and upright, because crying can make noisy breathing worse. Offer small, frequent drinks if swallowing is comfortable. Follow the label or a clinician’s instructions for any fever or discomfort medicine, and check the ingredients before giving a cough or cold product. Do not use steam or place a child over hot water. A clinician may prescribe treatment to reduce airway swelling when croup symptoms warrant it. Related illnesses include the Common Cold and Bronchiolitis.

Seek urgent medical help if the noisy breathing is present while your child is resting, breathing is fast or laboured, the skin between the ribs pulls in, lips look blue or grey, or your child is unusually sleepy. Drooling, trouble swallowing, or being unable to drink also needs urgent assessment. If the cough persists, keeps returning, or your child has other breathing symptoms, arrange a clinical review to consider conditions such as Asthma or Acute Bronchitis.

Ask which symptoms mean your child should be seen immediately, whether a prescribed medicine is needed, and which over-the-counter ingredients should be avoided for their age. Mention any previous episodes, allergies, regular medicines, and whether the noisy breathing occurs at rest or only during crying.