Few sounds startle a parent like the barking, seal-like cough of croup, especially when it wakes a child in the middle of the night. It can be frightening, but most croup is mild and eases within a few days. Knowing how to help, and which signs need attention, makes those nights less scary.
This guide explains croup, how to comfort your child, and when to seek care. It is part of our guide to common childhood illnesses and is general health information, not a substitute for care from your child’s provider.
What is croup?
Croup is a viral infection that causes swelling in the upper airway, near the voice box and windpipe. That swelling produces its telltale signs: a hoarse voice, a harsh barking cough that sounds like a seal, and sometimes a high-pitched noisy sound when breathing in, called stridor. Croup often starts like a cold and tends to be worse at night, frequently on the second or third night. It is most common in children between about 6 months and 3 years old, and most cases are mild.
How to comfort your child at home
Staying calm is the most important thing you can do, because crying and fear can make the cough and breathing worse.
- Keep your child calm. Hold them, use a soft soothing voice, and sit upright together for comfort.
- Offer fluids. Steady sips help, and eating matters less than drinking for a day or two.
- Comfort for fever or discomfort. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help. Ask your pediatrician about the right choice and amount, especially for young children. Never give aspirin to children or teens.
You may have heard about steam or humidified air. Keeping your child calm is more reliable, and hot steam should be avoided because it can cause burns. Cool night air seems to soothe some children.
Signs that need medical care
Most croup is mild, meaning a barking cough with no noisy breathing when your child is calm and resting, and drinking well. Some cases need to be seen. Seek care right away, and call 911 for severe trouble breathing, if your child has any of these.
Seek care right away if your child has:
- Stridor, or noisy breathing, that continues while resting or calm
- The skin pulling in around the ribs or at the base of the neck with each breath
- Struggling to breathe, or being unable to speak or cry
- Bluish or gray lips or face (call 911)
- Drooling or trouble swallowing, or being very hard to wake
If croup keeps coming back, or your child is younger than 6 months, let your pediatrician know.
How croup is treated
For croup that needs treatment, your pediatrician may prescribe a corticosteroid to reduce the swelling in the airway and ease breathing. Because croup can change quickly and is often worse at night, being able to reach care in the evening matters, which is where the Dalton Urgent Care can help.
When to be seen at White's Pediatrics
A quick look can tell you how your child’s breathing is doing and whether treatment would help. White’s Pediatrics offers same-day sick visits and welcomes walk-ins at all three clinic locations, with evening and weekend coverage at the Dalton Urgent Care for the nights croup tends to strike.
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Open when your child actually gets sick, not just during the workday Dalton daytime clinic: Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm Dalton Urgent Care: Monday to Friday, 5pm to 9pm; Saturday and Sunday, 8am to 12 noon |
Spanish-speaking staff are available at every location, and all major insurances are accepted, including Georgia Medicaid and PeachCare.
To have your child seen in Dalton, Chatsworth, or Calhoun, call 706-876-2130 or visit whitespediatrics.com.
Frequently asked questions
Why is croup worse at night?
The barking cough and noisy breathing of croup are often most noticeable at night, frequently on the second or third night of the illness. Keeping your child calm helps, since crying can make it worse.
How long does croup last?
Most cases ease within a few days, though the cough may linger a bit longer. Symptoms tend to come and go, and are usually worse in the evenings.
Is croup contagious?
The viruses that cause croup spread easily among children. Regular handwashing and covering coughs help reduce the spread.
When should I call 911?
Call 911 for severe trouble breathing, noisy breathing that continues at rest and worsens, bluish or gray lips, or a child who is very hard to wake. When breathing looks frightening, seek care right away.
Does croup need antibiotics?
No. Croup is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not help. Some cases benefit from a steroid your pediatrician can prescribe to ease airway swelling.
Can I get my child seen in the evening?
Yes. The Dalton Urgent Care is open evenings and weekends, and White’s Pediatrics offers same-day visits and walk-ins across all three locations in Dalton, Chatsworth, and Calhoun. Call 706-876-2130.
A barking cough at midnight does not have to mean panic. White’s Pediatrics is here for your family in Dalton, Chatsworth, and Calhoun. Call 706-876-2130 or visit whitespediatrics.com to be seen.
For an overview of the other illnesses families see most often, visit our guide to common childhood illnesses.
