Overview
Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is a respiratory infection that affects young children. Viral infections are the most common cause of the condition. Croup causes swelling of your child’s voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). This swelling causes the airway below their vocal cords to narrow, which makes their breathing noisy and difficult.
Croup in babies is most common, along with children younger than 3 years old. As children get older, croup isn’t seen as often. This is because their windpipes get larger and swelling is less likely to get in the way of their breathing.
Croup causes a distinctive cough that may sound similar to the call of a seal. The condition is usually mild but symptoms can become severe and life-threatening.
RSV vs. croup — what’s the difference?
RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and croup are both respiratory illnesses that can affect babies and young children. RSV is a viral infection that can affect both children and adults. It causes coughing, sneezing and other cold-like symptoms.
While RSV is its own illness, the respiratory syncytial virus is also one of the viruses that can lead to croup.
Whooping cough vs. croup — what’s the difference?
Whooping cough (pertussis) and croup are both respiratory infections that can affect babies and children. Both conditions cause a distinctive cough, although the sound of whooping cough is a more high-pitched gasping or “whooping” noise.
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection whereas a viral infection usually causes croup. Therefore, no vaccines can prevent croup and antibiotics can’t treat it. (Antibiotics can’t kill viruses.) There’s a vaccine to prevent whooping cough, but it doesn’t go away quickly on its own as croup usually does.
How common is croup?
Croup affects about 3% of U.S. children every year. The condition accounts for 7% of all hospitalizations in children younger than 5 years old. It’s more common in boys and children assigned male at birth (AMAB) than girls and children assigned female at birth (AFAB). Healthcare providers define about 85% of croup cases as mild. They consider less than 1% of cases severe.
Symptoms
When to see a doctor
Complications
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Some types of heart valve disease.
Prevention
- Control high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
- Don't smoke or use tobacco.
- Eat a diet that's low in salt and saturated fat.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week unless your health care team says not to.
- Get good sleep. Adults should aim for 7 to 9 hours daily.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Reduce and manage stress.
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