Croup Cough aka Crouping Cough It is typically a childhood illness caused by one of the multitude of viruses that also cause the common cold. Adults can get it also, although for them it is usually less debilitating.
Stridor, which is a wheezing, whistling noise produced in the throat as the victim tries to breathe or speak, is a hallmark characteristic of croup. The illness causes the windpipes and voicebox to swell and the result is some difficulty breathing and eventually the crouping cough which some people describe as a seal’s bark. The disease can occur at anytime of the year but it seems to be more prevalent in the fall and winter. For children the symptoms resemble a cold - aches, pains, fatigue, runny nose, and cough - in the early stages, usually with fever. The child will become hoarse and finally the characteristic barking cough will occur. For adults the symptoms are usually sore throat followed by laryngitis. In adults the disease can be almost benign.
Treatment: antibiotics are useless since Crouping Cough is caused by a virus. Instead, the typical support and symptom alleviation methods used for colds and flu should be used. Try treating the fever with ibuprofen or acetaminophen based medicines being careful to reduce the dosage to the appropriate amount if treating a child. The cough, which can be very painful, can be alleviated with cough suppressants. A medicine which consists of only cough suppressant without a blend of other ingredients is best. Look for dextromethorpham in the active ingredient list.
Otherwise, have the victim drink plenty of fluids, rest and sleep as much as possible. It is normal for the appetite to be suppressed, don’t worry if a child does not wish to eat. That is normal and swallowing is probably painful anyhow. Try warm soups: the warm vapor may help alleviate the swelling in the throat. For breathing difficulty try temperature change. Warm humid vapor from any source, a hot shower, or sitting in a hot humid bathroom can help. Sometimes cool night outdoor air will alleviate the problem. If breathing difficulty becomes severe a trip to an emergency room is warranted.
