No drugs are administered for relieving croup. Stages and progress Croup may occur after a child has had another infection of the upper respiratory tract, such as a cold . Once a child is infected with airborne particles that carry the virus, the disease progresses quickly. The child soon experiences some distress in breathing and begins coughing. Symptoms may last for as little as one hour or worsen and then improve over several days.
Symptoms generally occur more often at night.
In most cases the disease lasts from three to seven days. Prevention Teaching even young children good health habits such as covering a sneeze or cough, not sharing eating utensils, and washing hands often can prevent the spread of respiratory infections. Also, if a child is recuperating from a cold , avoid exposure to cold air, which may trigger the disease.