Croup

Excerpt

Croup is a common respiratory illness in children younger than 6, with peak incidence between 6 months and 3 years. This infection is most common in the fall and early winter but can occur year-round. Although typically mild and self-limiting, croup occasionally causes significant upper airway obstruction and respiratory distress.

Croup includes the spectrum of laryngotracheitis, laryngotracheobronchitis, and laryngotracheal bronchopneumonitis. The infection affects the larynx, trachea, and bronchi, leading to a characteristic barking cough and inspiratory stridor. Parainfluenza virus (PIV) is the most common cause, though bacterial infections can also be responsible. Diagnosis is primarily clinical, but clinicians must first exclude life-threatening conditions such as epiglottitis or airway foreign bodies. Most patients should be treated with corticosteroids, whereas epinephrine is reserved for moderate-to-severe cases.