How To Prevent And Treat Croup

Skip Cold Medication

Parents may be tempted to use cold medications to help ease their child's pain and breathing. But it's a better idea to skip cold medication. Children of any age shouldn't take over-the-counter cold medicines formulated for adults. If given to children less than two years old, these medicines can cause serious damage. It's not worth the risk, either. Non-prescription medicines for coughs aren't helpful for croup. If their child desperately needs cough relief, parents need to talk with their pediatrician about the best options available. It's possible their child's doctor can prescribe medication to help with coughing, but only in severe cases. Otherwise, it's safer to let the croup heal on its own.

Hold Child In An Upright Position

One way to ease overall breathing is to hold the child in an upright position. Parents may not be able to hold them like this for the entire duration of their cough, of course. The parent and Their child both need to sleep eventually. For as long as they're able, however, parents should hold their child on their lap or upright against their chest. If their child has a favorite infant seat or dining chair, parents should place them in that. Sitting upright helps keep the airway open. While lying down isn't generally dangerous, it can cause the airway to collapse and become narrower, which in turn leads to more difficulty breathing.