Croup may also be linked to allergies and asthma. The initial symptoms are sore throat, fever, runny nose. Small babies may be off their feeds and slightly listless. Once the cough develops there may also be another noise called stridor - as the young child tries to draw a breath in, their relatively soft breathing tubes collapse, causing a high pitched sound. You may also notice that their breastbone is drawn in.
Parents can find croup very frightening because their child seems to be struggling to breathe.
But most children get better after a few days of simple treatment, with no long-lasting effects. Occasionally it is very severe and even life-threatening. The aim of treatment is simple measures to make the child comfortable, reduce anxiety and ease the effort of breathing. Calm your child by sitting them on your lap and reassuring them. Many people recommend warming and humidifying the air that the child is breathing.