Croup in children, symptoms and treatment

Croup is difficulty breathing due to constriction of the larynx. In children of the first years of life, false croup occurs quite often, so it is important for parents to have an idea of ​​this disease.

True croup is called inflammation of the larynx in diphtheria, when the lumen of the larynx is blocked by dense films. Fortunately, thanks to mass vaccinations around the world, this formidable serious illness is extremely rare today.

False croup is a condition in which it becomes difficult for a child to breathe due to swelling and narrowing of the airways. The main reason is a viral infection, which leads to swelling of the mucous membrane not only in the nasopharynx, but also in the trachea. The mucous membrane becomes inflamed under the influence of the virus, swells, and, although films (as in diphtheria) are not formed, the result is the same – it is difficult for the child to breathe.

The part of the airway in the larynx is quite narrow, and if the mucous membrane swells, it can completely block the lumen of the larynx, preventing air from entering the lungs. In children under 5-6 years of age, the airways are narrower than in adults, therefore, croup against the background of a viral infection usually develops in the first years of life, without meeting in older children and adults.

If a baby has a cold, the cough becomes barking, and the voice is hoarse, the inhalation becomes noisy and difficult, it can be assumed that he develops croup syndrome.

Not all children have croup. One or two false croup at a young age is a typical situation that does not raise concerns about the future. But there are children with features of the anatomy of the larynx, respiratory tract, who are more prone to this disease. Often, some of the parents of such babies also had croup in childhood. On the other hand, there are viruses that cause croup more often than others. Therefore, meeting with these infectious agents increases the likelihood of developing false croup.

With age, the likelihood of developing croup decreases, and after 6-7 years, this condition often occurs in children with malformations of the larynx and trachea or in children with allergic reactions (laryngeal edema is associated not with a viral infection, but with allergies).

Usually, the usual symptoms of an acute respiratory infection first appear, that is, a runny nose, cough, and possibly a fever. The first signs of the proximity of a false croup appear or intensify in the evening and early in the morning: this is a growing dry barking cough and a hoarse voice. Then the inhalation becomes “noisy” – at first only during crying or anxiety, that is, when the baby breathes deeper and faster. After a while, in the absence of treatment, these symptoms persist in a calm state.

With croup, it is difficult for a baby to inhale. The inhalation is noisy, with effort, and the exhalation remains normal. During inhalation, you can see how the jugular fossa (a depression in the lower part of the neck between the collarbones) is drawn inward. This symptom appears only with pronounced swelling of the respiratory tract and is the reason for immediate assistance to the child.

So, the main three signs of the development of false croup in a child are hoarseness, a rough barking cough and noisy breathing. In a child with a viral infection, these symptoms often appear suddenly at night or in the morning. If you have already encountered a condition such as croup, most likely you have a nebulizer for inhalation at home and clear instructions from your pediatrician about the sequence of your actions.

If this happened to your child for the first time, you need to call the ambulance team, without wasting time watching the child. Try to calm yourself and your baby, because when you cry and worry, the muscles in your larynx contract and it becomes even harder to breathe.

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