It is a natural concern of all parents to be protective about their baby and shield them from all harms and sickness by dealing with tell-tale signs and symptoms at the earliest. This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of baby care. It can be quite tough deciding whether to allow the sickness to run its natural course or get medical help at even the slightest hint of cold or cough. This is the most common confusion occurring in the minds of first-time parents. Having to deal with a young baby who is prone to illness can be very distressing, especially if the illness takes on a serious turn. However, not all sicknesses are threatening. One should expect their baby to get occasional cold and fever. If the symptoms persist for more than 5 days, seeking medical advice is important as your baby may be suffering from a condition called croup. Read ahead to know more about the disease, its symptoms, and treatment.
About croup
Croup is a viral respiratory infection that affects the upper airways – the trachea (windpipe) and the larynx (voice box), and causes it to swell resulting in harsh “barking” cough and difficult to breath.
Generally, croup affects children who are younger than 5 years. The infection is very common during winters and early spring season, with symptoms lasting for more than 5-6 days. These symptoms exacerbate during night time and become less bothersome in the day time. Children born prematurely are at a higher risk of developing croup infection.
Causes
Croup is caused mostly by a viral infection. Croup infection is mostly caused due to parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Some of the other causes for this infection may include bacterial infection, allergy, and inhaled irritants. A baby can acquire this infection through direct contact with an infected person or their secretion. The infection spreads from the upper respiratory tract, down to the trachea and larynx, which get swollen. Young children have a small airway and they can easily get infected, leading to blockage of the airway passage.
Symptoms
The infection usually starts showing itself as common cold with stuffy and runny nose along with fever. As the infection increases resulting in inflammation of the trachea and larynx the child may exhibit a harsh, loud, barking cough. If the upper respiratory tract becomes even more infected the child may find it difficult to breath an every time he/she breaths in a high-pitched squeaking noise is made. The child may also show symptoms of fast breathing and retraction of the chest. If the infection takes on a serious turn, it can lead to a bluish tinge around the lips and the area surrounding the mouth due to a lack of oxygen. The symptoms of croup aggravate during night time when the baby cries. Babies with croup usually are irritable, sleepy, and have low appetite. In bad condition it may also cause choking and vomiting.
Home remedies
Home remedies can be a quick and convenient way to start treatment as soon as parents discover that their baby has croup. Most mild case of croup is treated effectively by home remedies.
As part of the treatment, the baby should be allowed to take complete rest and given enough fluids to stay hydrated. The parents should make efforts to pacify the crying baby as crying can worsen the symptoms. The child should be encouraged to play quietly instead of running around as it could make the cough even worse. Giving any type of cough syrup is not recommended, especially if the child is below 2 years of age. For chest discomfort and discomfort caused by fever, parents can try giving acetaminophen. To treat stuffy nose, parents can try clearing it with saline drops (1 tsp of table salt mixed in a cup of water).
The appropriate posture to adopt is to make the baby sit upright rather than in a lying posture. It should be ensured that there are no smokers around the baby. Moist environment helps the child breathe easy, parents can turn on the humidifier or make your child breath through a wet cloth placed over his mouth and nose or try running hot water in the bathtub, and once the room is steamy sit with the baby in the bathroom for 10 minutes. The child should be made to breathe fresh, cool air. If the home remedies fail to show effect on the baby, then it is advisable to consult a doctor.
In case home remedies do not work
Even after trying most of the home remedies if the baby doesn’t seem to respond, then it’s time to consult a doctor. The doctor may prescribe few medicines or treatment to bring down the symptoms. Steroids are the preferred choice of drugs to reduce swelling. Severe croup and airway blockage can be dealt with by using aerosolized racemic epinephrine (adrenaline). Some examples are dexamethasone and prednisone which can be taken orally. Inhaled and injectable forms of corticosteroids may also be prescribed by the doctor. Corticosteroids work by quickly reducing the swelling of the airways. In case the child has difficulty breathing, oxygen may be given under continuous overnight monitoring. If there is a bacterial infection, an antibiotic may be administered. In severe forms of airway obstruction, intubation may be needed. Intubation is a process where a tube is passed through the nose, mouth, larynx, and finally reaches the lungs. Dehydration can be treated by giving intravenous fluids.
Complications
Mostly, children affected with croup do not develop any complications but recover completely.
- Bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract or pneumonia
- Ear infection
- Dehydration due to less fluid intake
- Respiratory arrest (slow down or stop in breathing due to any reason)
- Epiglottitis – inflammation of the cartilage covering the trachea
- Atelectasis (collapse of part of the lung)
Prevention
The best way to avoid croup infection is by following few hygiene tips, although it is not totally preventable. Regularly wash hands and avoid contact with an infected person. Vaccination for diphtheria, Haemophilus influenza (Hib), and measles can be one of the most effective ways to prevent dangerous forms of croup.
Outlook
To err is human, but if you make a mistake in choice of treatment see that it is on the side of caution. It is of course reassuring that babies with a healthy immune system will see off the occasional virus with no difficulty. This is why, right from the day of birth and through their childhood parents should take care for their immune system, by immunizing. A strong immune system will help them to fight and resist all illness. So, the next time he/she coughs or sneeze’s parents will be sure that he/she will soon get it under control.
