- Croup is a common respiratory problem in young children. It usually occurs a few days after the start of a cold and is usually caused by the same viruses that cause the common cold.
- Your child may have symptoms of a hoarse voice, a harsh bark-like cough, and possibly wheezing upon inhaling or even appears to have some difficulty breathing. The symptoms are caused by the swelling and narrowing of the voice box, windpipe, and breathing tubes that lead to the lungs filled with mucous, compressing the air current resulting in the scary breathing sounds.
- Croup mostly occur during the winter season and may suddenly attack at night causing poor sleep, barking cough, hoarse voice and wheezing.
- In addition to medicines, inhaling cold damp air will help open up the breathing tubes. Try letting your child breathe in a face steamer or running a hot shower to create steam and let the bathroom fill with steam then have your child breathe in the moist air for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Try to stay calm during an attack, and soothe your child. Your child’s crying can make the swelling in the windpipe worse and make it even harder to breathe.
- If your child continues to have difficulty breathing or the symptoms have not improved 30 minutes after an attack, go to the emergency room immediately.
Pediatric Illnesses
- To prevent asthma attacks, take medication regularly and avoid contact with allergens such as cigarette, pollen, cold air, dust, and pets.
- On days when there is a large temperature difference, wearing masks and scarves will help prevent asthma attacks.
- During flu season, avoid public or crowded places with poor ventilation.
- Exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet.
- Always carry your asthma medications with you at all times in case of exacerbation. Take the medications according to doctor’s instructions.
- If there is sustained high fever, cough, yellowish sputum, difficulty breathing, or when the inhalor cannot effectively relieve the symptoms, return to the hospital as soon as possible.
- Let your child rest. Give him/her plenty of water, juice, or sports beverages.
- Dry off the sweat immediately. Do not wear too many layers of clothes or use too many blankets.
- Adjust the thermostat to a comfortable temperature. Take medicine as instructed and prescribed.
- Take your child’s temperature every 4 hours.
- If the ear temperature is above 39ºC but there is no chills, try using an ice pillow or draw a warm bath (water temperature 30-34ºC).
- If the ear temperature is above 38ºC, consider taking oral fever drugs (antipyretics) if instructed by the doctor.
- If the ear temperature is above 38.5ºC, consider using an anal suppositories antipyretic. Suppositories should only be used every 4-6 hours. Keep them suppositories stored in the refrigerator.
- If your child has a history of febrile convulsion, use antipyretics at a lower temperature to prevent convulsion.
- Antipyretics usually need around 30 minutes to work. You may check your child’s body temperature every hour until the fever has reduced.
- Do not give aspirin to a child under 18 years of age because of the risk of Reye’s syndrome, a dangerous brain disease.
- Please remain clam when your child has a fever. Be aware of your child’s activity and appetite. When in doubt, call the hospital for further information or whether your child may need to be brought to the the emergency department. Otherwise, follow up at the pediatrics department.
- Bring your child to the hospital as soon as possible if there are the following symptoms：
- Persistent high fever unresponsive to antipyretics
- Headache or neck stiffness
- Difficulty breathing
- Large amount of yellow sputum
- Loss of appetite or barely eating
- Intense fatigue or poor activity
- Take your child to the emergency department if there are the following symptoms：
- Sudden onset of severe unrelenting abdominal pain
- Your baby cries upon being touched on his/her abdomen
- There is a mass in your child’s inguinal area
- Persistent abdominal pain with an evidently worse pain over his/her right lower abdominal area
- Severe pain with nausea or vomiting
- A stiff tense abdomen
- Bloody diarrhea with nausea and vomiting
- Take medication as instructed.
- Eating small meals. Do not eat strong flavored or stimulating foods such as spicy, sour, or deep-fried foods.
- When there is severe nausea/vomiting or abdominal pain, temporarily hold off any eating or drinking until the symptoms have improved.