Croup Home Remedies:

Dry air makes the cough worse, so keep the child's room humidified. Try using a vaporizer near the child's bed.

Turn the shower on and let the bathroom fill with warm mist. Sit with the child on your lap for up to 15 minutes in the misty room. Do NOT get into the shower with your child. Just sit on the counter, floor or toilet seat and let the child breathe in the warm steam. This usually works to help relax the vocal cords and improve the stridor.

Another simple way to provide warm mist is to let your child breath through a warm, moist facecloth placed loosely on the mouth and nose. Be careful not to overheat the facecloth to avoid burns.

Another technique that can be helpful is to take your child out into the night air. The moist night air may help to alleviate the coughing. However, if it is extremely cold outside, avoid taking your child out, especially if he has a fever.

Warm fluids help with coughing spasms. These spasms are usually caused by sticky mucous. Give your child plenty of clear fluids like apple juice, Gatorade, lemonade, or tea.

Cough medicines are not usually helpful. Fluids are more important. Older kids might be able suck on a cough drop. For younger children, corn syrup might help.

If your child has a fever you should give acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Do not give aspirin to children. See Aspirin and Children

Watch your child closely. Croup can be dangerous if the epiglottis (a small flap of membrane in the airway) gets so swollen that it occludes (cuts off) the airway.

Don't let anyone smoke around your child. Smoke will make it worse.

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Croup Home Remedies