Is false croup contagious in children? False croup in children: what are the symptoms and what is the treatment?
Croup is common in childhood. And when an attack occurs for the first time, it frightens both children and parents. Below we will talk about the types of croup, causes, symptoms and treatment methods.
Without details and terms, croup is swelling and narrowing of the larynx and trachea caused by infectious diseases. Clearance respiratory tract narrows, and difficult noisy breathing occurs.
Croup usually occurs in children between 3 months and 5 years of age. When they get older, this no longer happens so often - the larynx and trachea also grow, the lumen increases, and swelling no longer causes difficulty breathing. Swelling due to a respiratory tract infection can happen at any time of the year, but is more common in the fall and winter months.
Viruses whose favorite breeding sites are the larynx and trachea cause the most common type of croup - viral. It starts like a normal ARVI, then the voice becomes hoarse, barking cough and difficulty breathing. Normally, a person’s breathing is silent, and if anything is heard - sniffling, squeaking, grunting, etc. - this is called stridor. Typically, viral croup is not accompanied by a high temperature, but sometimes it can reach 40 C.
This type of croup is believed to be caused by allergies or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It occurs suddenly, usually at night. A child can go to bed absolutely healthy and suddenly wake up a few hours later because he cannot breathe, with a hoarse voice, stridor, and sometimes a barking cough. Most children with spasmodic croup do not have a fever. It is this type of croup that can recur. Symptoms similar to those of asthma are usually due to allergies or reflux.
Croup with stridor
Stridor (breath noise) usually accompanies mild forms of croup. Stridor is especially worse during crying or physical activity. But if a child's breath sounds can be heard even at rest, this may be a sign of a more severe form of croup. As the condition worsens, the child may stop eating and drinking, or simply get tired of coughing, and you will hear the breathing become more noisy and strained with each breath.
The danger with croup with stridor is that sometimes the swelling of the airways can be so severe that the child can barely breathe.
In such cases, be sure to seek medical help. Fortunately, so severe forms cereals are rare.
Basics in the treatment of croup
If your child wakes up in the middle of the night with signs of croup, try to remain calm yourself and calm your baby - this will help him breathe more smoothly.
To calm your child, try:
If the baby has a temperature of 38°C or higher, give paracetamol or ibuprofen (for children over 6 months). Don't forget that if you have a fever, you need to drink plenty of fluids and make sure you don't get dehydrated.
Sometimes doctors advise taking a choking child to the bathroom and breathing in the steam from the hot water. Many parents note that this really helps improve breathing. But there is not a single authoritative study proving the effectiveness of such a method or positive influence damp and cold night air on breathing in croup.
When you need a doctor
If your child's croup does not improve, seek medical attention immediately.
You need a doctor urgently if:
Treatment of croup with medications
If a child has viral croup, the pediatrician or emergency physician may prescribe adrenaline (epinephrine) to reduce swelling of the larynx, and then monitor the child for 3 to 4 hours to ensure that symptoms of croup do not recur.
To reduce swelling, hormonal (steroid) medications may be prescribed orally, by inhalation, or by injection. Multiple dose treatment hormonal drugs will not cause any harm, but they will reduce the intensity of symptoms and the need for other drugs, as well as the time spent in the hospital. If you have spasmodic croup, your pediatrician will prescribe allergy or reflux medications to help you recover faster. normal breathing child.
Antibiotics, which only affect bacteria, are not effective in treating croup, which is most often caused by a virus, allergy, or reflux. Cough syrups will also not help positive action and can even be dangerous.
Another cause of stridor and difficulty breathing can be acute epiglottitis. Symptoms of this dangerous infection, which is usually caused by bacteria, has similar symptoms to croup. Fortunately, this infection is now less common thanks to mass vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). Other bacteria rarely cause epiglottitis.
Acute epiglottitis most often affects children aged 2 to 5 years and occurs suddenly, starting immediately with a high fever. Typically, a sick child sits with his chin raised - in this position it is easier for him to breathe; hoarseness of voice and increased salivation are also observed. If epiglottitis is left untreated, the infection can quickly lead to complete blockage of a child's airway.
If your child's pediatrician suspects acute epiglottitis, seek qualified medical attention immediately. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment with antibiotics will be necessary, and intubation may be necessary to help the child breathe.
To protect the child from acute epiglottitis. vaccinate him according to the vaccination schedule. The Hib vaccine protects not only against epiglottitis, but also against meningitis. After the advent of the Hib vaccine, the number of cases of acute epiglottitis and meningitis decreased sharply.
Intermittent or constant cereals
Frequent recurrences of croup in a child may be a sign of airway obstruction (narrowing) not related to infection. Reasons of this disease can be either congenital or acquired. For further assessment of the child's condition, the pediatrician will refer you to a consultation with to a specialist: otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) or pulmonologist (specialist in diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract).
Croup is a truly common disease in childhood. In most cases, croup is mild, but it can be severe. Contact your pediatrician if your child's croup does not improve or if you have questions. The pediatrician will prescribe the necessary examination and treatment.
retyshka Russia, Novosibirsk
But there is not a single authoritative study proving the effectiveness of this method (hot steam) or the positive effect of damp and cold night air on breathing in croup.
It’s strange, in the issue of ShDK Krup and laryngitis, Evgeniy Olegovich talks about the dangers of hot steam and the benefits of cool night air. By the way, the early morning air helped us reduce the intensity of our daughter’s barking cough
ashatan85 Ukraine, Kyiv
Are stenosis and croup the same thing? Unfortunately, our daughter often gets sick like this, or rather, almost all acute respiratory viral infections begin like this, we go to bed healthy and then we can’t breathe, and then we start coughing, constant obstructions and fever and runny nose, our pediatrician says it’s Stenosis, and then destructive bronchitis like consequence.
ashatan85 Ukraine, Kyiv
Good night, unfortunately my daughter is one of those children who have croup frequently. Only our pediatrician calls this condition stenosis, is it the same thing? We take noshpa and Lordes as first aid, and after consultation with an allergist, in such cases we also breathe with beredual.
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How to properly treat false croup in a child?
False croup in children it never occurs on its own. It always develops in young children against the background of a respiratory disease. The causes of such a complication may also be allergic reactions, but such a precursor to croup occurs infrequently. It is very important to know what the symptoms of croup are, how to properly treat, and in which cases emergency hospitalization is required. Such knowledge will help parents accept right decision and provide qualified assistance to your baby.
Moms and dads should understand that this condition, despite the dangerous symptoms, can be safely treated at home. Moreover, hospitalization does not always contribute to speedy recovery, since the stress that accompanies hospital treatment has a negative impact on false croup negative influence on the nature of the disease.
False croup and its causes
Croup is a respiratory disease. It can be caused by various infections - bacterial and viral. Most often, the disease occurs in children aged three months to three years. Children usually do not get croup after five years of age.
There are two types of the disease:
- The first one is diphtheria croup. Its symptoms include significant difficulty breathing and inflammatory process vocal cords. Thanks to the development of vaccination, which involves mandatory vaccinations children from diphtheria, in lately Doctors are diagnosing diphtheria croup less and less often.
- The second type of disease is false croup in children. Today it is quite common. However, not all children are susceptible to the disease. After infection, someone develops a runny nose - this means that the virus has affected the nasopharynx. If bronchitis develops, this indicates that the virus has infected the bronchi. The causes of false croup are that a viral infection affects the larynx. We can conclude that the disease develops against the background of an individual predisposition in children with special anatomical structure larynx. This explains the situation when some children suffer from croup several times, and some have never encountered such a health disorder.
p>The most common cause of false croup is influenza. However, this disease can be caused by other viral infections and allergic reactions. The disease develops in children because their respiratory tract has a different structure and smaller shape compared to adults.
This explains the fact that the same virus can lead to hoarseness in an adult, and provoke false croup in a child. Experts debate whether the disease has genetic predisposition. Of course, in some cases the disease is inherited. But most often the main reason is the conditions in which the baby is kept.
The symptoms of false croup have long been studied and described in medical literature. Distinctive feature The disease is a dry cough, which has a barking character. In some cases, coughing leads to loss of voice. Often parents notice that the baby's crying is accompanied by wheezing.
In addition, false croup in children has the following manifestations:
The peak incidence occurs during seasonal outbreaks respiratory diseases, since false croup is one of their complications. Basically, this is autumn and spring. But the disease can overtake the baby even in summer time. In any case, the child requires medical assistance, the rules for providing which are mandatory All parents should be aware.
When should you call a doctor?
In most cases, false croup can be treated at home - this is exactly the recommendation given by Dr. Komarovsky, who has authority among modern parents. The fact is that, according to statistics, children during the first croup are subject to hospitalization in 90% of cases. Recurrent disease leads to hospital treatment in 30% of cases. This should be explained by the fact that mothers and fathers are already aware of how to carry out treatment at home.
It is important to note that doctors who respond to an emergency call often make a decision about whether emergency hospitalization is necessary based on two factors. The first is the condition of the child. The second is the conditions in which the baby is. If there are a lot of carpets in the room, the heater is on, the air is dry, the room is poorly ventilated - this indicates that the conditions are not conducive to the baby’s recovery. In this case, doctors may insist on treating the child in a hospital setting.
What is the task of parents when a child suffers from false croup? It is necessary to ensure high humidity in the room. In this case, the room should not be too hot. It's best to cover the battery with something. The room should be ventilated every two hours. To help parents, it is worth purchasing a hygrometer that will show how optimal the microclimate in the room is.
There is one great way that will help make your child’s breathing easier and speed up the treatment of the disease.
Take a book with your child’s favorite fairy tales, go with him to the bathroom, draw a full bath cold water and just spend time there with your child - this is what Dr. Komarovsky recommends.
At the same time, do not even think about bathing your child - you should just be in a cool and humid microclimate, which is provided by a bathtub filled with cold water.
In what case should you call ambulance? Firstly, the basis should be shortness of breath, very high temperature and worsening of the condition in the evening. If the baby feels unsatisfactory, then at night we should expect an even greater exacerbation of the disease. Doctors all over the world advise carrying out treatment at home so as not to expose the baby to additional stress. Any medical manipulations- injections, droppers, can provoke a spasm of the larynx due to the fact that the child is experiencing stress at this moment. For this reason it is better to provide medical care Houses.
Treatment of false croup
In accordance with international standards, it is prohibited to use expectorants, antispasmodics, and antibiotics to treat false croup. Unfortunately the standards national medicine are still far from international ones, as a result of which unprofessional treatment is prescribed. Qualified urgent Care for most types of croup, two varieties are used medicines. They are used in all countries where medicine is developed at a high level.
The first type is anti-inflammatory hormones. Such drugs should never be administered into a child’s body by injection. They are usually used in the form of suppositories, inhalations, or drops in the mouth. The second type of medicine is concentrated adrenaline, specifically designed for the treatment of croup. It is used by inhalation to reduce swelling of the larynx and results in immediate relief. dangerous symptoms diseases.
The treatment described above is used in all progressive countries and leads to an improvement in the child’s condition literally in a matter of minutes. Despite the fact that false croup is quite dangerous disease, with qualified assistance and correct actions parents, it will not harm the baby. All mothers and fathers should know about the symptoms of this disease. And it is very important not to expose the child nervous stress which aggravate the patient's condition.
False croup. I'm not afraid of him anymore!
Girls, good afternoon everyone!
I want to say right away that I am the mother of children who are susceptible to false cereals. In our case, they were frequent, and the last one in one of the children was accompanied by loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest. Unfortunately, all pediatricians, emergency doctors and information from various Internet sites all suggest that the cereals are caused by viruses, bacteria or allergies. And everyone just suggests growing out of it. As you can imagine, I couldn’t wait any longer. My husband and I decided this: if they can’t help us in Russia, then we need to go to Europe. And then, by chance, we were recommended a doctor from the 9th Children's Hospital in Moscow - Olga Vasilyevna, who just had practice abroad. She told us that the cause of false croup in children under 7 years of age is the diagnosis of Reflux (Gastroesophageal Reflux GERB). This is the reflux of hydrochloric acid into the esophagus and larynx (at night). This reflux against the background of any illness, including a cold or flu, results in laryngospasm or bronchospasm. We were skeptical about this at first. We were hospitalized twice in the Morozov Children's Hospital and no one ever told us that we needed to go and have our stomach checked. The next day we went to hospital No. 9, where we spent time with the children full examination all organs, including endoscopy of the larynx, and also swallowed the “gut”.
The diagnosis made by Olga Vasilievna was confirmed. Both our children have inflammation of the stomach. The older one was also found to have 1 mm of erosion (his attacks were always much worse). We were treated for 1 month, went on a diet for Reflux, removed sports activities (we can swim without diving and hockey). After all this, we got sick twice, when in the morning we 100% should have had attacks - but we didn’t.
While I was in the hospital, I searched the entire Internet at night and found only one article by Dr. Khavkin, where he writes about GER disease in children
Also, Professor Andrei Petrovich Prodeus from the “Live Healthy” program came to me for a consultation, who immediately said that all of our stenosing laryngotracheitis (false croup) is from the diagnosis of Reflux (GERD).
Girls, I wish you, if necessary, to communicate only with real doctors who look at the problem from different angles.
I really hope that all the doctors who, in the old-fashioned way, recommend “just outgrow” croup, will finally think about how many children they could save and will look for a solution to the problem of croup.
Anastasia We were treated according to the regimen that was prescribed in the 9th hospital (drugs for stomach inflammation) plus we took Gaviscon - this is now the first drug for us until we were 8 years old.
In all children under 5-7 years of age, the ring between the stomach and esophagus (sphincter) does not close, through which part of the food enters (food particles + gastric juice) into the esophagus and further into the larynx. This only occurs at night due to the horizontal position of the child's body. So this one hydrochloric acid getting into the larynx leads to false croup or laryngospasm.
When we had an endoscopy of the larynx, we saw signs of reflux. (as they wrote in the conclusion after the procedure).
In general, as I understand the diagnosis, Reflux is very difficult to diagnose in a child. The child does not complain about his stomach.
Regarding Gaviscon, this is a suspension that we took for the first month, 4 ml (a syringe is needed; Nurofen is more convenient) 40 minutes after each meal (4 times a day). After eating, be sure to sit upright for half an hour.
Be sure to take Gaviscon at night!
And now I have the drug Gaviscon on the shelf so that I can start giving it for any colds or poisoning. Also 4 ml before daytime and nighttime sleep. That is, now only on demand.
And, that is, only the stomach was treated. Thank God we didn’t collide, I hope we won’t, but just in case) thank you! Let your little ones get better soon and no longer suffer from such nasty things!
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False croup
Message 27005614.
2.5 child, already recently, we went to Morozovskaya, I don’t want to repeat this mistake, we will be treated at home. He has an inhaler, but he flatly refuses to breathe, he starts crying - it only gets worse, and he also won’t go into the bathroom. We found a way out - we placed 2 steamers in his room, filled them with water and soda and turned them on. The wallpaper has already begun to come off :) The child too, is breathing normally (pah-pah-pah). At the hospital they didn’t give us anything other than inhalations and suprastin with mucaltin. And then I see that everyone seems to recommend Lazolvan. Please write briefly what you did for treatment at home. I tried to look in the archives, but I don’t have enough time, sorry.
Message 27006230. Reply to message 27005614
I also don’t have the best memories from Morozov’s. 3 weeks ago we also got there with false croup. My son is 1.1. Then, after 3 days, they were discharged with a signature. He also did not allow me to do inhalations; I did not lie in the oxygen tent. I just cried. I don’t want to remember directly. But the attack was filmed for us there, of course. About home conditions - recommendations were so hot Turn on the faucet in the bathroom, add half a pack of soda and stand there for 15 minutes with the child (this is if there is no temperature). Something like Nazivin in the nose. Cough syrup (the simplest one, with marshmallow, dry in bags). Inhalations with soda or essentuki (we also bought a nebulizer, but haven’t managed to do it yet - I’m afraid). Antihistamine. But you still need to call an ambulance for control. Because the attack progresses quickly.
Message 27008172. Reply to message 27005614
Inhalations are the main treatment for relieving swelling. We are breathing normally. I read books to him at this time. Drink plenty of warm drinks as well. Moreover, the doctor told us that we should drink from thin-walled containers. We only had wine glasses, and my son managed to bite them off. We diluted Lazolval (solution for inhalation) (2-3 ml of Lazolvan, 4 ml of saline solution) and breathed it 3 times a day.
Message 27009445. Reply to message 27005614
We have the same problem: my eldest and I have already been hospitalized at Morozovskaya twice (at the age of 3 and 5), and now the youngest and I have been admitted to St. Vladimir’s Hospital a week before her one-year anniversary. We bought a nebulizer (ultrasonic inhaler), and the set includes a children's mask with an elastic band. So, we do inhalations 5-6 times a day with Borjomi. It’s clear that the older one sits normally during inhalations, but the younger one is okay too. We also drop Vibrocil or Nazivin into the nose. And of course an antihistamine (Zyrtec, Suprastin, Fenistil). And for cough Lazolvan (we drink drops - it’s disgusting, but without any causing allergies additives).
Message 27150283. Reply to message 27005614
My child that year also suffered from false croup, they were in the Tushino hospital, the last bastards.
Then we were treated at home, bought a nebulizer, did inhalations (Malavit, Lazalvan), and at the clinic the allergist prescribed Pulmicort.
Like I immediately gave something and am giving noshpa 1/4 + euphelin 1/4 (it was recommended by the doctor from the ambulance who came to our call, THANKS him so much. A man with a capital letter.)
So now I’m on guard for any reason, God forbid this happens to anyone.
Message 27009837.
Thank you everyone, suprastin + inhalations of soda throughout the apartment helped, no attack, breathing normally. Last time at the hospital they gave us naphthyzine for children to drip into our nose, so I will drip that too.
Message 27010546.
Girls! Can you please tell me where I can find information about the cereal? My godson has already had an attack twice in six months. My friend, his mother, asked me to look at how to prevent this and why it happens in general. Does anyone have any information?
Message 27011638. Reply to message 27010546
In my opinion, it cannot be prevented. Well, only if you don’t let them get sick in principle. Because these attacks are usually against the background of ARVI. So you have to wait until the child “outgrows” this croup. What will happen in 5-6 years?
To be honest, I don’t remember, about three years ago we had it, they gave it to me twice and the doctor then told me to take it with me everywhere if anything happened, I remember that it’s a very small dose, by the way, it’s liquid, it’s made according to a prescription at the pharmacy, ask your pediatrician, By the way, does he come to see you? She came to see us every day until she got better
Message 27053590.
We just passed it. Maybe someone will find the ENT recommendations useful:
- as soon as you get sick, humidify the air continuously! Don't care about the wallpaper
- If an attack occurs:
Use a spatula to touch the base of the tongue. Inducing vomiting stops the spasm!
Enable maximum tolerance hot water and put the baby's feet in there
Turn on hot water in the bathroom, creating steam.
Another piece of advice that has its place, but the ENT is afraid: after the “steam room” in the bathroom, take it to open window. Temperature contrast reduces spasm.
We relieved the spasm for our eldest daughter by giving her an euffilin tablet.
The youngest managed not to reach critical condition, humidifying the air to no avail.
Try to manage on your own - the hospital will give you hormones, creating additional problems that will be more difficult for a sick child to resolve
Message 27081148. Reply to message 27053590
Thanks for the advice. Things are a little worse for us today again. I can’t call it an attack, I just had slightly noisy breathing in the morning and coughed badly once. They steamed the whole apartment to a terrible state - the wallpaper and ceiling are wet, Mityushka says: “Oooh, look how beautiful!”, now everyone’s breathing is ok. How long can this last? We're on day 3. Last time we stayed in the hospital for 3 days, we were not injected with hormones, only Suprastin and inhalations, we left without symptoms.
Message 27151882. Reply to message 27096291
A terrible barking cough is another sign. Maybe short-lived, as we had - just 2 times cough-cough, but the sound is terrible, like barking. And listen to your inhalation, if there is a feeling of “noisy” breathing, difficult breathing through the mouth, then most likely false croup. It always worsens when crying. And the child could wake up precisely from labored breathing from swelling, and not from snot. We also all thought that the snot was bothering him and that he was coughing because of the snot. Take alkaline inhalations just in case, in my opinion, they won’t hurt even with a simple cold, and if, God forbid, you have false croup, then they are simply necessary.
Message 27153362.
Maybe I’m already late with my advice, but nevertheless it may come in handy: yesterday we were discharged from the hospital (we were in the Central Clinical Hospital, our son is 1.6 months old).
The treatment was as follows: anaferon - 1 tab. - 3 times per day, Erespal -5 ml - 3 times per day (according to the weight of the child), 2 times per day - inhalations (morning and evening, we also bought a nebulizer and used our own) 5 drops of Berodual and 1 ml of saline solution, at night - Zyrtec. 2 times a day oil wrap (if you’re interested, I’ll describe it - it’s a very cool thing) On the first day they arrived - March 5th and night - oxygen masks. They also did massage and ultraviolet light. On March 9, they were discharged to continue treatment at home (i.e., this way the attack was stopped)
In general, it’s a terrible thing, my husband and I were on duty at night before the hospital, I couldn’t sleep at all from fear. And it is imperative to continue treatment to the end, even if it seems that everything is already in order.
Message 27279275.
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Why do you beat yourself up and read about diseases that you don’t have?
cheating and reading are two different things.
When my daughter had stenosis for the first time, for a long time I could not understand that this was it. Her breathing just became noisier, she was sleeping, and wasn’t worried. After a couple of hours, I finally called the emergency room, and it was already grade 2 stenosis. Like this. The doctor also scolded him for not calling him right away. And I kept looking and thinking - is it or isn’t it? And if I had not read about stenosis in advance, I would not have attached any importance to this wheezing - well, he is wheezing, he has a cold, let’s wait for the morning. And in the morning it could be too late...
I think it's the same thing
Naphthyzine in the nose is dangerous, only the ambulance did this to us when it was urgently needed, and then the doctor then sat for an hour, watching like a child (cardiac arrest often occurs because of naphthyzine). The daughter really became lethargic and sleepy (though it was night, the doctor was also barely alive, by the way, thanks to all the doctors at the pediatric emergency room in the Petrograd region!), when the daughter recovered, the doctor left.
Our first aid is inhalation with naphthyzine. (doctors, don’t throw slippers, I need to inject steroids, I know, I don’t know how). I make 4 drops of naphthyzine per 10 drops of saline solution. I keep Naphthyzin locked up.
We were treated in the same way at the hospital, and rightly so. Only I don’t know the proportions, but that’s exactly what the treatment was. Only they didn’t inject me with steroids. I didn’t even know I needed them. I know it’s dangerous to drip into your nose, but if you don’t have an inhaler, how can you do otherwise? Our pediatrician, the cat doctor who treated us and the head of the department where we were hospitalized, just said about the window and naphthyzin. I see no reason not to believe them.
People! and it is generally contagious. otherwise a friend asked me to babysit her godson, who was only yesterday discharged from the hospital with a diagnosis of false croup, and I have my own 4-month-old baby. won't we get infected?
False croup itself is not contagious - it is just swelling, narrowing of the larynx. But it can be caused by both allergies and infections. If the child is healthy (no symptoms of ARVI), then he is not contagious. Only from the hospital could he have picked up something else. Try keeping them in different rooms.
Does anyone know if the predisposition is not inherited? Because my husband had seizures from the age of 1 to 5, they lived in Uzbekistan at the time (a military family), and in that hospital they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him for about a month, they already thought they wouldn’t make it until the military doctor recognized false croup For my husband, this was caused by an allergy; as soon as it started, they immediately gave him suprastin. As my mother-in-law told me, I’m terrified! His sister didn’t have this, but she constantly had sore throats.
In short, I already think that my daughter also has a predisposition ((.
It is not passed on through generations, it is not genetic disease. It is typical for children under 4 years of age and they can get sick from every cold. Your daughter may only have a predisposition to allergies, but not to the croup itself. Sore throat is also not a genetic disease. That’s how a person’s immunity works, some have just a sore throat, some have otitis media and sore throats.
Some adults are faced with a situation where, in the background, it would seem common cold, the child suddenly becomes worse and doctors diagnose false croup.
Parents who do not know what false croup means in children cannot soberly assess the situation, do not understand how this threatens the child, and do not know what to do in this case.
What is this, false croup?
Croup is a developing inflammatory lesions larynx suffocation with hoarseness, which may be accompanied by a barking cough. Croup can be true or false.
The cause of true croup is fibrinous inflammation of the mucous membranes of the larynx with the formation of characteristic films on its walls.
This inflammation is caused by a very contagious infection that releases a strong toxin that can disrupt the functioning of the heart and kidneys. Even in the first half of the last century, due to progressive suffocation, the mortality rate from diphtheria was 100%, so treatment of true croup is carried out only in an infectious diseases hospital, using specific and antitoxic therapy, under the constant supervision of doctors.
We have found out what true croup is, it’s time to figure out what false croup is. This is a synonym for pretty serious illness- acute stenosing laryngotracheobronchitis. It occurs due to influenza, various adenoviral infections, parainfluenza, scarlet fever, measles, etc., as well as allergies.
As such, false croup in children is not one, but a whole group of diseases:
- acute stenotic (subglottic) - most often observed in children 5-6 years old, since the larynx is still small in size and colds create favorable conditions for the development of the edematous-inflammatory process specifically in the subglottic space;
- acute stenosing laryngotracheobronchitis most often manifests itself in children under 3 years of age and it is characteristic that girls get sick 2-3 times less often than boys;
- acute with stenosis, characterized by simultaneous damage to the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea, can develop at any age.
With false croup in a child, as a result of damage to the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea, edema develops, which leads to a narrowing of the lumen of the respiratory tract.
Forms of false croup
Although the leading symptom of false croup is suffocation, the forms of this disease can be different:
- Edema form - the name of this form speaks for itself. Hoarseness and difficulty breathing appear due to excessive accumulation of fluid in the interstitial space.
- Catarrhal-edematous - swelling of the mucous membranes is accompanied by inflammation with severe hyperemia, without the formation of any plaque.
- Edematous-infiltrative – in which the inflammatory process spreads deep into the tissues, not limited only to the mucous membranes. With this form of croup, inflammation can affect ligaments, muscles, and superficial layers of cartilage.
- Fibrinous-purulent - occurs in the absence or improper treatment edematous-infiltrative form of croup. The mucous membranes are covered with fibrin plaque with purulent plugs.
- Hemorrhagic form - characteristic of croup viral etiology(for example, with the flu). Its features are hemorrhages into the thickness of the mucous membranes, petechial or extensive confluent hemorrhagic spots appear on the vocal and aryepiglottic folds.
- Ulcerative-necrotic is an advanced form of the disease. It is characterized by necrosis of tissues of all layers, the appearance of difficult-to-heal ulcers, which can lead to the melting of cartilage.
In childhood, the most characteristic forms of false croup, due to the small size of the larynx, will still be catarrhal and edematous-infiltrative. In addition, in children, false croup can recur with every cold.
Distinguishing swelling of the larynx
Since the trigger for the development of false croup in a child is respiratory infections, the child will first have symptoms characteristic of primary disease: general weakness, lethargy, increased body temperature, runny nose, etc. In order to prevent false croup in children in time, parents must know how this complication begins and be able to distinguish its signs.
Symptoms of false croup appear suddenly, usually at night. Often this complication develops 2-3 days after, but there are cases of false croup appearing in the midst of complete health.
False and true croup.
So, the characteristic symptoms are:
- Stridor is difficult, bubbling and wheezing breathing. The louder the noises and whistles during inhalation and exhalation, the more swelling larynx. Speech with stridor does not disappear, but the character of the voice simply changes - it becomes squeaky. This is one of the diagnostic criteria for false croup when differential diagnosis with suffocation if it enters the respiratory tract foreign body when speech reproduction becomes impossible.
The appearance of stridor, and most importantly, its increase, indicates the need for urgent medical attention. - Hoarseness and hoarse voice are considered symptoms of false croup only in the presence of stridor. If there is no stridor, these are signs of laryngitis or laryngotracheitis without swelling of the mucous membranes.
- Barking cough - appears before stridor, which just characterizes the beginning of swelling.
In order not to confuse false croup with an attack bronchial asthma, you should listen to the child’s breathing. With stridor, both inhalation and exhalation will be noisy, and during an asthmatic attack, inhalation is not heard, but exhalation is difficult and is accompanied by loud noises.
The main thing is not to panic!
Many mothers, especially when there is more than one child in a family, are concerned about the question of whether false croup is contagious in children and how long this disease lasts.
Firstly, false croup is not contagious, since it is not a disease, but a complication of the primary respiratory infection. That's why she's contagious. But, again, one should take into account on what day from the onset of the disease the swelling appeared, and what specific disease provoked it. If the primary diagnosis is known, the contagious period is known.
If a child takes antibiotics or other specific therapy, infection from him is unlikely. Secondly, if false croup was caused allergic reaction, there is no talk of infecting other children.
Symptoms of croup last for about three days. At adequate therapy the prognosis is favorable. Very rarely, false croup drags on.
How severe is the disease?
Based on how pronounced the narrowing of the lumen (stenosis) of the larynx is, three degrees of croup are determined:
- I degree stenosis - the child’s voice is hoarse; in a calm state, breathing is not disturbed, even. During an attack, when inhaling, a slight retraction of the intercostal spaces and jugular fossa may be observed.
- II degree stenosis – child in excited state, noisy breathing is heard, during inhalation the wings of the nose swell and all auxiliary muscles are involved. Redness skin replaced by cyanosis. Pulse increased.
- III degree stenosis - excitement is replaced by lethargy, stridor is pronounced with loud breathing, which is clearly heard at a distance, with anxiety the cough intensifies and becomes more frequent. Tachycardia, persistent nasolabial cyanosis appears, and the child becomes covered in cold, sticky sweat. The pupils dilate and an expression of fear appears on the face.
If the process progresses, respiratory arrest (asphyxia) may occur. Some classifications distinguish it as IV degree stenosis.
It should be remembered that in young children, degree I stenosis can very quickly develop into II and even III.
Treatment at home is only possible with slight stenosis I degree and in children over 3 years of age. In all other cases it is required immediate hospitalization with constant monitoring of the child.
The baby may be hospitalized in the infectious diseases or ENT department. Stage III-IV stenosis requires hospitalization in the intensive care unit.
Secrets of therapy
What to do with false croup?
If parents do not know how to relieve an attack of incipient suffocation on their own, they should definitely call an ambulance, but under no circumstances should they panic. Children are great at detecting the slightest changes in their parents’ mood, and unnecessary panic can provoke an increase in symptoms.
Treatment of false croup in children should always be comprehensive and, in addition to adequate drug therapy requires proper care looking after a sick baby and organizing a routine.
Emergency care for false croup consists of quickly restoring patency respiratory tract and liquidation oxygen starvation. Only the doctor should decide how to treat the baby.
Manifestations of grade I stenosis can be reduced by performing procedures with a reflex-distracting effect:
- hot baths for 5-10 minutes or mustard foot baths (if the child’s temperature is above 37.5°C, baths are contraindicated);
- Mustard plasters have a good distracting effect;
- soften cough with alkaline inhalations, repeated every 3 hours;
- Warm hydrocarbonate waters for drinking are also recommended;
- from medications pipolfen, diphenhydramine or suprastin are prescribed;
- For hyperthermia, ibuprofen or paracetamol can be given.
Doses of drugs must strictly correspond to the age of the child!
First aid for false croup with degree II stenosis also involves the use of distracting procedures, inhalations and warm drinks. Except parenteral administration antihistamines Be sure to administer dehydration therapy (glucose with calcium gluconate).
To improve blood supply in the pulmonary circle, aminophylline is prescribed. To relieve swelling and inflammation - prednisolone or dexamethasone. Pulmicort relieves asthma attacks well.
You need to know that berodual does not work in the case of false croup.
In case of II-III degree stenosis, baths should not be used. Repetition required steam inhalations. Antibiotics and sedatives must be added to medications prescribed for milder degrees of stenosis.
Children with III-IV degrees of stenosis are required to be hospitalized in intensive care unit, where mucus is removed using direct laryngoscopy, and the cavities of the larynx and trachea are completely sanitized.
If the desired effect does not occur, circulatory failure is manifested by an increase in symptoms, the child is intubated through the nasal passage or a tracheostomy is applied.
Is there any prevention?
Prevention of false croup involves hardening and general prevention ARVI vitamins, natural phytoncides, room ventilation and wet cleaning.
Croup (Laryngotracheitis, Acute laryngitis)
What is croup? What causes croup?
Croup or laryngotracheitis, acute laryngitis is a respiratory infection affecting the larynx and vocal cords, windpipe(trachea), air ducts to the lungs (bronchial tubes). Typically the cause of croup is various viruses, including those that cause colds and flu. Sometimes the cause may be a bacterial infection. Croup may be a result serious problems with breathing in children. Croup can occur in infants as young as 6 months and in young children, is more common in boys than girls, and tends to occur more often during the winter months when the weather is cold.
Is croup a contagious disease?
Croup or laryngotracheitis, acute laryngitis is a contagious disease and it usually spreads by airborne droplets when sneezing or coughing. When infected air is inhaled by healthy children, symptoms may develop within 2-3 days. The infection may persist for some time on doors, furniture, toys and other objects.
What are the symptoms of croup?
About 2 or 3 days after infection, the child develops a sore throat and hoarseness. With croup, laryngotracheitis, acute laryngitis, a dry cough occurs, the sound resembling barking, which worsens at night. Nausea and vomiting may occur with a cough. The cough is usually accompanied by fever (body temperature rises to 38-40C). Infection can cause swelling in the larynx, which reduces airflow and leads to wheezing. In such a situation, you should immediately consult a doctor. Many children with laryngotracheitis, acute laryngitis can be treated at home, but children who have breathing problems, fever or dehydration may need to be hospitalized. Infants with croup are irritable, lethargic, and have poor appetite. The main part of the illness lasts up to 3 weeks. Wet cough may appear in the second week. This disease can develop more than once.
Any illness in children shocks parents. Especially if the pathology is severe and there is no way to mitigate the symptoms. How to behave in similar cases? Let's consider what is characteristic of croup in children and what treatment of the pathology can be carried out at home.
What is called croup?
Croup is an acute inflammatory process occurring in the respiratory tract. Most often the area of the larynx and trachea are affected, much less often the bronchi. As a rule, children suffer from croup.
This condition is provoked by infectious diseases. Since the cause is a viral “capture”, people around can catch the infection.
It should be borne in mind that infection occurs not as a result of an acute inflammatory process, but as a result of a disease that provoked similar condition. But croup itself is not contagious, as it is a complication of the pathology. Therefore, a person who has contracted the underlying disease from a baby does not always develop an acute process.
Causes of croup:
- diphtheria;
- parainfluenza;
- measles;
- typhoid fever;
- chickenpox;
- tuberculosis;
- flu;
- scarlet fever;
- adenovirus
- syphilis;
- a banal acute respiratory infection.
Depending on the cause, the process is divided into 2 groups:
- True croup in children. Such a diagnosis can only be made for diphtheria. The process is characterized by damage to the mucous membranes of the vocal cords;
- False croup in children. In this case, the process affects the mucous membranes of the trachea located below the vocal cords. All others lead to false croup infectious diseases respiratory tract in children.
The difference in causes also leads to some difference in symptoms. Therefore, it is advisable to know what symptoms in children indicate the development of true or false croup.
Croup in children: symptoms and clinical picture
Despite the different reasons, characteristic symptoms can be traced in both true and false processes:
- First, children develop a dry, barking cough. You may notice that when the baby cries, the cough increases significantly. If you don't start at this time competent treatment children, there is a possibility that the process will take a severe course;
- In this case, stridor is observed - bubbling, whistling, difficult breathing caused by swelling of the larynx. As the stenosis increases, the breathing noise of children increases;
- In the presence of a dry cough and stridor, hoarseness appears. If the two above symptoms are absent, but the voice is hoarse, most likely the young patient does not have croup, but laryngitis;
- As with any disease of the upper respiratory tract, children present with fever, pain in the muscle tissue, lethargy and moodiness.
With diphtheria, the condition of children worsens to the point of being severe. At the same time, a pronounced dense coating appears on the tonsils white. Feels bad smell from the mouth. Symptoms may increase gradually during the day, but usually occur at night. sharp deterioration up to a tragic outcome.
Most often, the diagnosis of croup is given to children in age period from 6 months to 6 years. This is due to the structural nuances of the respiratory tract. The larynx and trachea have a rather narrow lumen; under the mucous membrane there is a decent layer connective tissue with a fairly loose consistency. As a result, the swelling spreads quickly, and increased sensitivity nerve receptors in this area contributes to the appearance of muscle spasms.
Croup should be distinguished from allergic edema of the larynx or laryngospasm as a result of rickets, which can occur in children under 2 years of age. In this case, there are no cold symptoms characteristic of an acute infectious-inflammatory process.
The first symptoms of an acute inflammatory process usually appear at night, when pulmonary drainage decreases and the tone of the parasympathetic nervous system increases.
A natural question: can children with croup be treated at home and what ways are there to reduce severe symptoms?
Croup in children: treatment
For any reason for the appearance of an acute inflammatory process, you must first call an ambulance.
This course of the disease is extremely dangerous, so treatment with any folk remedies there is no question. The only thing parents can do to alleviate their baby’s condition before the medical team arrives is to create "tropical atmosphere". For this small patient it is advisable to place him in warm room with high humidity.
The best option is a bathroom filled with hot water vapor.
Among the necessary measures:
- Give an antipyretic if the temperature exceeds 38.5 C. For this you can use Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. It is advisable to try to reduce laryngospasm with Baralgin or Maxigan;
- Drink plenty of warm water, decoctions and compotes to help relieve swelling and relieve cough. In addition, pathology can lead to dehydration, so drinking plenty of fluids is necessary;
- You can use saline inhalation using a nebulizer. If inhalation is not possible, it is enough to bring the child into the bathroom more often so that he can breathe warm steam.
Further treatment will most likely take place in a hospital setting, since an acute inflammatory process requires constant medical supervision.
Acute respiratory pathologies can lead to dangerous complications and work disruptions respiratory system. Croup is one of the common consequences of infectious diseases. It mainly affects children aged 3 months to 3 years.
What is false croup in children?
An alternative name for the disease in question is stenosing laryngitis. It represents acute inflammation of the larynx, in which there is a sharp and sudden narrowing of its walls and obstruction of the upper respiratory tract. This can cause suffocation, especially if the child is small. The pathogen differs from the false one pathological process. In the first case, the cause of the problem is diphtheria, and in the second, other infectious agents.
The mechanism of development of stenosing laryngitis
False croup in children is caused by the following processes:
- Severe inflammation of the larynx leads to severe swelling or swelling of the soft tissue in the space under the vocal cords.
- Acute stenosing laryngitis provokes spasms of the constrictor muscles. They contract, so the lumen of the larynx narrows sharply.
- Inflammatory processes are accompanied by the release large quantity viscous sputum. Mucus accumulates in the narrow lumen of the larynx and can completely block it.
False croup in children - causes
The causative agent of the disease described is infections. In most cases, viruses cause false croup in children - the reasons for its development include the following pathologies:
- herpes simplex;
- measles;
- adenovirus;
- chicken pox;
- whooping cough.
Stenotic laryngitis of bacterial origin is less commonly diagnosed. In this situation, its causes are:
- streptococci;
- hemophilus influenzae;
- pneumococci;
- staphylococci.
False croup in children can begin against the background of tonsillitis, rhinitis, adenoiditis and other diseases as a complication. The following factors contribute to its development:
- rickets;
- avitaminosis;
- birth injuries;
- suffered hypoxia;
- diathesis;
- artificial feeding;
- low immunity.
The main reason explaining the occurrence of false croup exclusively in children and the absence this state in adults, lies in the size of the larynx. In a child, it is initially small, so even a slight narrowing of its lumen leads to attacks of suffocation. As they grow older, the larynx enlarges, and the child simply “outgrows” stenosing laryngitis.
The pathology itself is not transmitted from one child to another, even with close direct contact, but it is better to immediately isolate a sick baby. Stenosing laryngitis in children always progresses against the background of an acute respiratory infection. Viral or bacterial diseases are very contagious, so in a group there are often several cases of inflammation and narrowing of the lumen of the larynx at the same time.
How to identify false croup in a child?
The presented state has specific signs, allowing it to be accurately diagnosed. False croup in children - symptoms:
- loud “barking” cough;
- noisy breathing, snoring;
- hoarseness of voice;
- anxiety;
- dyspnea;
- increase lymph nodes in the neck area;
- increased body temperature (from 37.2 degrees depending on the cause of the disease);
- sleep disorders.
Degrees of false croup in children
The clinical picture of stenosing laryngitis also corresponds to the severity of its course. How does false croup manifest in children? different degrees narrowing of the lumen of the larynx:
- Compensated. Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing are observed only against the background of physical or emotional stress. When inhaling, wheezing may be heard.
- Subcompensated. Symptoms of false croup are present in children even at rest. The child is agitated, eats and sleeps poorly. On inhalation, retraction of the intercostal spaces and jugular fossa occurs, and dry wheezing is heard. The nasolabial triangle acquires a slight bluish coloration.
- Decompensated. The baby's anxiety is replaced by drowsiness, lethargy and apathy, and confusion. The child suffers from severe shortness of breath and a “barking” cough, and his voice disappears. The entire face and part of the neck have a bluish tint. On inhalation, dry and moist rales are clearly audible, the heart is unstable (tachycardia), the pulse is threadlike.
- Asphyxia. The most severe variant of false croup. The child's breathing is shallow and arrhythmic, there is no cough. There is a sharp decline blood pressure, bradycardia, convulsions. Consciousness is confused and turns into a hypoxic coma. Without emergency assistance this condition can be fatal.
If parents notice the baby obvious signs stenosing laryngitis with difficulty breathing and blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle, you should immediately call for medical help. False croup is especially dangerous in infants, because the size of their larynx is very small and asphyxia can occur quickly. Before the team of specialists arrives, it is important to calm the child as much as possible and provide him with comfortable conditions for normal breathing.
When an attack of false croup in a child is not accompanied by shortness of breath or suffocation, but only a “barking cough,” you can cope with the problem yourself:
- Give abundantly alkaline drink(still bicarbonate water, low-fat milk with a pinch of soda).
- Ensure voice rest.
- At high temperature(more than 38 degrees) use an antipyretic drug.
- Make inhalation with a nebulizer with mineral water, or saline solution.
- Cool the room air to 18 degrees or lower.
Stenosing laryngitis in children - emergency care
Before the arrival of qualified doctors, it is important to prevent further narrowing of the lumen of the larynx and asphyxia. First aid for false croup in a child, described in previous section, and additional measures:
- Induce a gag reflex by pressing with a finger or a spoon on the root of the tongue.
- Humidify the air in the room. If there is no special apparatus, you can hang cool wet towels in the room and move the baby to the bathroom, where cold water flows from the taps.
- Make inhalations. If previously proposed drugs are ineffective, Pulmicort is used for false croup in children.
- Place the child in a semi-sitting position in bed so that less mucus accumulates in the larynx.
False croup in children - treatment
Therapy for stenosing laryngitis is prescribed only by a doctor individually. Options for how to treat false croup in children depend on the frequency and severity of attacks, the age of the child, and the causative agent of the infection. In the fight against this disease they use the following groups medicines:
- glucocorticosteroid hormones (Prednisolone, Methylprednisolone);
- antispasmodics (Papaverine, No-Shpa);
- antitussives (Codeine, Bromhexine);
- antihistamines (Eden, Zodak);
- bronchodilators (Lazolvan, Hexoral);
- sedatives (valerian extract, motherwort);
- antiviral (Tamiflu, Remantadine);
- antibiotics (Erythromycin, Amoxicillin) and others.
Additionally, inhalations are prescribed for false croup in a child. Humidified oxygen is used in the hospital clinic; it is advisable to purchase it for home good nebulizer, especially if the baby is often exposed to stnosing laryngitis. The procedures are performed using any hypoallergenic alkaline solutions, Lazolvan, Pulmicort.
How to avoid false croup in children?
The only way to prevent pathology is to prevent its cause - acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections. False croup in children always begins against the background of infections, so parents need to strengthen immune system baby, monitor the temperature and humidity in his bedroom. The answer to the question of how to prevent false croup in a child after infection with influenza or another disease is similar. The baby should be in a cool and humid room, inhalations with a nebulizer are carried out 2-3 times a day, one of them should be before bedtime.
