As discussed in the
Emergency Department prior to discharge, your child has been diagnosed with
croup. Croup (also known as
laryngotracheobronchitis) is characterized by a barky (or dry) cough and a
fever. It is most commonly due to a
viral infection, so antibiotics have no role in treating this illness. It usually lasts five to seven days. The cough is typically worst on day two and
is worse in the nighttime.
In
the Emergency Department, your child may have been given a prescription for a
single dose of a steroid medication, such as Dexamethasone or
Prednisolone. This medication will help
the croup to go away faster.
It
is important to keep your child hydrated.
You can use formula or breast milk if they are less than one year of
age, or Pedialyte, flat ginger-ale, or water if they are over one year of age.
If
your child has a fever, you can help him or her feel better by treating the
fever with Acetaminophen (also known as Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (also known as
Advil or Motrin). If your child does not
appear to be getting better an hour after giving one of these medications, you
can try the other medication.
For
example, if your child is not better one hour after taking Ibuprofen, you can
give your child Acetaminophen. While it
is very safe to try both, it is important to make sure that you give your child
the right dose of each, according to their weight, as instructed on each
box. Avoid using any over-the-counter
cold medications at the same time: these medications often have several
medicines in them, including Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen, so you could end up
giving too much of one or the other if you add cold medications.
There
are also some simple home treatments that you can try, including:
-Using steam or cool mist to help your
child to breathe easier
-Putting a humidifier in your child’s room
-Opening up the window in your child’s room
to allow in the cool night air
Often
croup improves on the way to the Emergency Department, because the child was
exposed to the cool night air on the way in.
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