What should you know about the medical term croup?

You may see croup written as laryngotracheobronchitis. The name refers to inflammation affecting the larynx, trachea and nearby air passages. Swelling in this upper airway changes the voice and cough, and can produce stridor, a rough sound when breathing in. Croup often follows symptoms of a viral infection, such as a runny nose or fever. The label describes a pattern of symptoms; it does not by itself show how severe the breathing problem is.

Keep the child upright and comfort them in a quiet setting. Let them take small drinks if they can swallow comfortably. Watch breathing while they are calm, including whether the skin between the ribs or above the breastbone pulls inward. Avoid steam and smoke, and do not start antibiotics or cough medicines without clinical advice. A child health consultation can confirm the likely cause and explain whether medicine or nebuliser treatment is appropriate.

Call emergency services if the child is struggling for each breath, has blue or grey lips, pauses in breathing, cannot swallow, is drooling heavily, or is difficult to wake. Seek prompt assessment when stridor is present while resting, the child is drinking very little, or symptoms are getting worse. Keep monitoring after a calmer period because croup symptoms can vary, especially at night.

Ask what the clinician thinks is causing the symptoms, how to distinguish stridor from wheezing, what treatment is suitable, and which breathing changes require emergency help. Share the start time, cough quality, fever, voice change and fluid intake.