Croup and COVID-19 in a child: a case report and literature review

BMJ Case Rep. 2021 Sep 14;14(9):e244769. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2021-244769.

Abstract

Croup (laryngotracheitis) is frequently encountered in the emergency department in a young child presenting with stridor. We describe a rare case of croup secondary to SARS-CoV-2 in an 18-month-old child who presented with stridor and respiratory distress and required urgent intubation. Subsequently, the child developed multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The child was monitored in paediatric intensive care unit. We would like to highlight that COVID-19 croup in children may be an indicator for MIS-C, and close monitoring is warranted as MIS-C is a life-threatening condition. Our limited experience suggests that COVID-19 croup especially if associated with MIS-C has an underlying more severe pathology and may require prolonged treatment in comparison with the typical croup or even COVID-19 croup. It is important to recognise this clinical entity during a time when most countries are in a third wave of COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: COVID-19; paediatrics; respiratory medicine.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Croup* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Pandemics
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

Supplementary concepts

  • pediatric multisystem inflammatory disease, COVID-19 related