Croup cough duration: what to expect

Croup is usually linked with swelling around the voice box and upper windpipe. The cough may sound harsh or barking, and it can become more noticeable at night or when a child cries. The noisy breathing called stridor is different from the cough and may signal more narrowing of the airway. A cough that is gradually less frequent, with comfortable breathing between episodes, is generally a reassuring change.

Keep the child calm and upright, offer frequent drinks, and allow quiet rest. Crying can make noisy breathing worse, so use a calm voice and stay close. Check breathing during sleep and note whether the cough, voice, and appetite are improving. Do not use steam from hot water, and do not give cough medicines unless a clinician has advised a specific product for the child.

Seek urgent help if the child struggles to breathe, has stridor while resting, pulls in at the ribs or neck, cannot swallow fluids, drools, becomes unusually sleepy, or develops blue or grey lips. Arrange medical advice if symptoms are worsening, the child is drinking poorly, or the cough is not following a steady improvement.

Ask whether the breathing noise is stridor, whether medicine to reduce airway swelling is appropriate, and what changes should prompt an immediate return. Tell the clinician when symptoms began, whether they worsen overnight, and how much the child is drinking.