It can be scary when your child is suffering from the croup. A barking cough, course voice, difficulty breathing, a fever and runny nose can knock your child off his feet for more than a few days. When I was little I repeatedly came down with the croup and know how miserable it can be. There are simple things you can do at home to treat the croup and provide comfort for your child.
Remember that croup symptoms often seem much worse than they are and there are things you can do right at home to ease croup symptoms. However if your child is truly having difficulty breathing you should call 911 immediately.
One of the most important things you can do is to keep your child calm. Crying and fighting the cough can worsen the swelling of the airway and cause breathing to be even more strenuous.
Put your child in a steamy bathroom for 10 minutes. The moist air helps to clear out his lungs making it easier to breath and reduces rattling in the chest.
Bundle your child up and take him into the cool air outside for 5-10 minutes. I have found that the cold air actually helps to clear the air passage and makes breathing easier.
Put a humidifier in your child’s room where he sleeps or is playing. The moist air is easier to breath when your child’s lungs are filled with phlegm.
Continue to offer your child clear fluids, such as water, apple juice, popsicles and crushed ice. These help to flush the sickness out of his system and keep him hydrated.
Give your child acetaminophen to reduce the fever and provide relief for the aches and pains associated with the croup. Over-the-counter cold medicine often has acetaminophen in it and works well to address other symptoms of the croup such as a runny nose.
Elevate your child when he is laying down so his head and chest are above his feet. This makes breathing and coughing out phlegm easier.
