Croup

Check if your child has croup

These are the symptoms of croup:

• a barking cough that sounds like a seal (you can hear examples online)
• a hoarse voice
• problems with breathing
• a rasping sound when breathing in

Your child will usually have cold-like symptoms to begin with, such as a temperature, runny nose and cough.

Croup symptoms usually come on after a few days and are often worse at night.

If you’re not sure if it’s croup

There are other conditions that have similar symptoms to croup, including:

• runny nose, sneezing, cough and temperature: possible cause - cold
• cold-like symptoms, wheezing, rapid breathing, not feeding: possible cause - bronchiolitis
• cold-like symptoms with bouts of coughing – your child may "whoop" when breathing in: possible cause - whooping cough

How to treat croup at home

Croup usually gets better on its own within 48 hours.

Until it does:

Do

• stay calm
• sit your child upright
• comfort them if they're distressed (crying can make the symptoms worse)
• give them plenty of fluids

Don't

• put your child in a steamy room or get them to inhale steam
• give them cough or cold medicines

When to see your GP

You should see your GP or contact GP out of hours service if:

• you're worried that your child appears unwell
• your child is getting worse

When to get urgent medical help

You should go to your nearest emergency department, or call 999 if:

• your child is struggling to breathe (you may see their tummy sucking inwards, the skin over their ribs sucking inwards, or their breathing sounds different)
• their skin or lips start to look blue or grey
• they're unusually quiet and still

More useful links

• How to use your health services
• Urgent and emergency care services