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Care at Home
  1. Reassurance: Most children with croup just have a barky cough. Some develop tight breathing (called stridor).
  2. Humidifier: If the air is dry, run a humidifier in the bedroom. (Reason: dry air makes croup worse.)
  3. Coughing Spasms: For coughing spasms, give warm fluids to relax the airway (warm apple juice or caffeine-free tea). Note: Avoid if under 4 months old).
  4. Cough Medicine for Mild Coughs:
    • These are less helpful than warm mist.
    • Provide moisture in the air with a humidifier. Note: Check with your child's doctor to determine whether to use a warm or cool humidifier.
    • After age 1, use corn syrup 2 to 5 ml whenever needed as a homemade cough medicine. It can thin the secretions and loosen the cough.
      Caution: Use only freshly bought corn syrup to avoid contaminates, which have a tendency to develop in corn syrup that has been opened for a while.
    • After age 6, use cough drops or hard candy.
    • Remember, coughing up mucus is very important for protecting the lungs from pneumonia.
  5. Cough Medicine for Severe Coughs:
    • Use dextromethorphan (DM). Do not use under 1 year old.
    • See dosage chart for cough suppression - dextromethorphan.
    • Ask your pharmacist to recommend pediatric brands contain this ingredient.
    • Do NOT use products containing aspirin.
  6. Fever Medicine:
    • For fever above 102° F (39° C), give acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
    • See dosage chart.
    • Ask your pharmacist to recommend a pediatric brand containing either of these ingredients.
    • Do not use any products that contain aspirin.
  7. Observation During Sleep: Sleep in the same room with your child for a few nights. (Reason:can suddenly develop stridor at night.)
  8. Avoid Tobacco Smoke: Active or passive smoking makes coughs much worse.
  9. Contagiousness: Your child can return to day care or school after the fever is gone and your child feels well enough to participate in normal activities. For practical purposes, the spread of croup and colds cannot be prevented.
  10. Expected Course: Croup usually lasts 5 to 6 days and becomes worse at night.
  11. IF your child becomes worse: Review Should I Call? recommendations.
  1. Symptom Description
  2. Should I Call?

Parent Care for Pediatric Symptoms. Copyright © 2000-2008. Barton D. Schmitt, MD
Reviewed/Modified: Jan. 2008 by Intermountain Healthcare, Inc.


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