Going home after your visit
Croup — advice for parents and carers
How to look after your child with croup at home, and the warning signs to watch for.
Your child has croup — a common viral illness that causes a barking cough and a harsh sound when breathing in. Most croup is mild and settles within a few days. Please read this and keep it handy.
Your care details
To be completed by the team before you leave.
this Emergency Department your nearest A&E other:
none needed
Call 999 or go to your nearest A&E if any of these happen
These can mean your child's breathing needs urgent help.
- Struggling to breathe, or the tummy or ribs suck in with each breath
- The harsh noisy breathing is there even when calm or resting, or is getting worse
- Lips, tongue or skin look pale, blue or grey
- Very upset or restless and you cannot calm them down
- Unusually drowsy, floppy or hard to wake
- Drooling, or unable to swallow
- You are seriously worried about your child
CALL 999 Trust your instincts — if your child looks very unwell, get help straight away.
Caring for your child
- Keep your child calm — crying and upset make the breathing worse, so cuddle and comfort them.
- Sit them upright rather than lying flat.
- Offer plenty of drinks, little and often.
- Check on them often, including through the night.
- If they were given a steroid medicine, it works over a few hours.
- You can give paracetamol or ibuprofen if your child is distressed or feverish.
What is normal
These are common with croup and usually settle on their own:
Barking coughHoarse voiceCough worse at nightMild feverRunny nose
The cough often lasts a few days and is usually worse at night. Do not use steam or a steamy bathroom — it does not help and can scald.
Where to get help
999
Life-threatening emergency, or a red-flag symptom above
111
Urgent but not life-threatening, or you're not sure — call or visit 111.nhs.uk, 24/7
Your team
Use the department phone in Your care details above