What is Croup (1) ?

           →  http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=jTCKpAalkww&feature=related

            Listen her breathing.  hoarse voice is not clear in this video.
          This is not the Bronchial Asthma.

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Croup

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Age:        Infant and toddler,  few above 7~10 year old.

Season:   Winter

Etiology:  Virus attack the vocal cord and bronchi

                   (voice box and wind pipe) result the swelling 

                   of it , and airway become  narrow.      

Symptoms:    see and listen above You Tube.

              1) start with slight cough and hoarse voice.

                   and at night suddenly occur the barking cough 

                   , stridor(coarse musical sound in breathing) .

              2) worsening in the night~ mid night and 

                   resolved in noon.  Again worsen at night.

              3) Usually lasts 4~6 days

             ➞     If child seems to be struggling to get a breath

                       go to Emergency medical services immediately !

            

              ☆    Acute epiglottitis due to Haemophlilus influenzae

                       is similar symptoms, but rapidly progress. 

                       Very few in Japan.

Care in home:

           1)  Upright position and using vaporizer in your child room.

           2)  If barking cough and stridor are worsening in 

                the middle of the night, go to Bathroom while 

                the shower on.

           3) Steam almost always works. If it does not, 

                take your child outdoors for a few minutes. 

                Inhaling moist, cool night air may help open the air 

                passages so that she can breathe more freely. 

                If that does not help, call your pediatrician.

                               ----------  American Academy of Pediatrics

Keiji Hagiwara, MD

Kami-Ube Pediatric Clinic

keijihagiwara@gmail.com