Croup symptoms in infants

Croup is swelling in the upper airway, commonly following a viral infection. An infant may have a harsh barking cough, a hoarse cry, a runny nose or fever. Stridor is a high-pitched noise when breathing in. Babies may show breathing trouble through rapid breathing, pauses, chest or neck pulling in, poor feeding, or unusual tiredness rather than by describing discomfort. The sound and effort can become more noticeable when the baby cries.

Hold the infant upright and keep your voice and movements calm. Offer breast milk or formula in small, frequent amounts if the baby can feed safely; do not force feeds when breathing is difficult. Observe skin colour, alertness, wet nappies and breathing while arranging advice. Avoid steam, smoke and non-prescribed cough remedies. Because infants can worsen quickly, contact a clinician early for guidance, especially if the cough is new or the baby has a fever.

Call emergency services if the infant has stridor at rest, marked chest pulling, pauses in breathing, blue or grey colouring, drooling, cannot feed, or is difficult to wake. Urgent assessment is also needed if breathing becomes faster or harder, wet nappies decrease, or the infant looks seriously unwell. Keep the baby upright and take the usual medicines or health information with you.

Ask how to count breathing changes, which fever signs matter for your infant’s age, and what feeding pattern is safe. Clarify who to call overnight and whether a child health consultation is appropriate.