Barking Cough in Adults , Causes ,Symptoms , Signs , Treatments

Barking Cough in Adults

You need to have heard a person coughing with very disturbing sounds. The impression that it creates is similar to that of the barking seal. A person shouldn't be snug along with his state and coughs continually with wheezing sounds that can't be ignored.

Barking cough is a situation during which the person is inflicted with cough that's harsh and dry in nature. It's because of the dryness that the sound is emitted when the person coughs. It has been recorded that barking cough in adults is a case of rarity, as an alternative it's all the extra prevalent in youngsters. Nonetheless, one should concentrate on what causes barking cough and what are the signs of the identical.

 Barking Cough in Adults

A trigger that's thought to be the offender in inflicting a croup cough is the irritation of the larynx and the trachea. The larynx and the trachea get infected as a result of viral infections. Parainfluenza virus is discovered to be afflicting the trachea and inflicting it to swell up with redness and heaviness felt within the throat. Different causes of barking cough are as follows:

Causes of barking cough

Influenza

Widespread chilly and cough elevate and trigger the throat to get scratched, thereby resulting in irritation within the throat. When the throat is irritated, it results in the individual having a relentless urge to cough resulting from which the bouts of cough change into extreme to endure.

Allergy symptoms

There are occasions when a person is totally aversive to sure supplies or herbs and can't bear to remain within the neighborhood of the identical. Mud allergic reactions, allergy because of mildew infestation, varnish allergy and pollen allergy are among the potential allergy varieties that show to be a reason behind extreme cough.

Acid Reflux

It's when an individual is susceptible to hyperacidity or gastrointestinal assaults that barking cough might happen. Usually observed after meals, there may be an episode of regurgitation that assaults the digestive system. It is because of this that the person might endure issue in respiratory, resulting in barking cough. When the cough turns into persistent in nature, it results in bronchial asthma as effectively.

Pertussis

Often known as whooping-cough, this ailment is extra frequent in kids than adults. Nevertheless, adults too could possibly be victims of pertussis. Whooping cough is characterised by a 'whoop' sound that's prompted on the finish of every coughing episode. One is certain to expertise wheezing, harsh coughing sound, watery eyes and runny nostril with tongue seldom protruding and turning blue in response to the depth of the cough.

Signs of Barking Cough

Croup or laryngotracheobronchitis as barking cough is known as, has a peculiar sound to it. It carries with it a typical harshness through the spasmodic coughing episodes. You've barking cough should you expertise:

• Wheezing; sounds which might be elicited on account of heavy respiration. You need to name a physician in the event you really feel extraordinarily uneasy.
• Harsh Cough; don't ignore this cough as this will additional scratch your throat resulting in throat infections.
• Hoarseness; the voice turns into tough and there's a screechy sound embedded in your tone once you converse.
• Fatigue; there's an rising quantity of fatigue. Your system will get drained as a result of fixed tremors and extreme coughing assaults that it endures.
• Ache close to the rib cage; that is because of the depth with which the person is coughing. The ache oscillates to being extra when the individual coughs and subsides when there are not any assaults of coughing exhausting.
• Fever; it's as a result of coughing that your system is exerted and as a result of extreme fatigue that your system endures, fever is the resultant symptom.

Barking Cough Treatment

You might take pleasure in:

• Inhaling steam and consuming lukewarm, or boiled water.
• Staying away from dusty setting that elicits sneezes and bouts of cough.
• Making a syrup by mixing honey and contemporary ginger items. Simply ½ a teaspoon thrice a day might assist in curbing the depth of your croup.
• Gargling with heat saline water three to 4 instances a day. This may assist soothe the throat.
• Including just a few drops of lemon squeezed in a glass of water, that could possibly be sipped at common intervals, helps soothe the throat and scale back sturdy bouts of cough.
• Stacking on just a few pillows beneath your head when you sleep, particularly throughout nighttime. Together with your head elevated, you might be much less susceptible to assaults or bouts of dry cough.
• Utilizing Bee balm, also called Oswego tea or horsemint is a perennial herb that helps struggle chilly, cough and flu. Place two to 3 leaves of bee balm right into a glass of sizzling water. Hold the combination coated for a couple of minutes. Simply sip via the combination a number of occasions throughout the day. A really helpful treatment, particularly when your nasal passage is blocked or you've a extreme respiratory an infection.
• Ingesting a scorching beverage is a welcome when our nostril runs a water provide for hours on finish. Nevertheless, moreover ingesting ginger tea, you might attempt onion tea. Reduce one onion into 4 items and place it in water. Let the water boil with the onion added to it. The onion leaves its spicy juices in water. Drink the tea to appease a scratched throat and open your nasal tract.

If these treatments don't work too properly for you and there's no vital enchancment in your state, you have to:

Seek the advice of your physician with none additional delay.

Take into account the antibiotic course administered to you by the physician and finishing the prescribed course. Leaving the course midway may end up in barking cough affecting you another time. That is, certainly true with any medicine course you're taking and holds good for the therapy for all circumstances.

Settle for and cling to his advise of getting sure examinations carried out. CBC (Full Blood Rely) and a routine Hemogram to verify your hemoglobin could reveal the discrepancies in your system.

With these cures, one could also be geared up to counter the causes and signs of barking cough. As talked about earlier, barking cough in adults is much less prevalent; nonetheless, one could not rule out its efficiency fully.

Barking Cough - Chronic Cough Treatments in Toddler at Night

Cough in children may arise from causes anywhere along the airway, from the nose to the alveoli. Cough is a nonspecific reaction to irritation anywhere from the pharynx to the lungs. Childhood coughing is a common problem that can cause anxiety in parents. There are important differences from adult cough in terms of likely causes and management guidelines.

Barking Cough - Chronic Cough Treatments in Toddler at Night

Chronic Cough in Toddler

Chronic cough is typically defined as a cough lasting more than four weeks. This is because most acute respiratory infections in children resolve within this interval. Other schemes define chronic cough as one that last more than eight weeks but also recognize that a relentlessly progressive cough often warrants evaluation prior to eight weeks.

The evaluation of a child with chronic cough should include a detailed history, physical examination, chest radiograph, and spirometry . If the initial evaluation provides clues suggesting a specific cause of cough, further evaluation is focused on that diagnostic possibility (algorithm 1). The steps are detailed in a separate topic review.

The causes of chronic cough in children are quite different from that of adults, so evaluation and management of children should not be based on adult protocols. The most clinically important causes of cough in children and the initial steps in management are reviewed here. Adolescents 15 years and older may be evaluated using guidelines for adults

Children cough : Common causes and treatment

Cough is usually a sign that your baby's body tries to get rid of the irritation, foreign body of mucus. Common causes of coughing include:

1. Infection. Colds, flu and cough can cause all outstanding cough for children. Colds tend to cause mild to moderate cough. Heavy flu sometimes, dry cough; and diphtheria has a "barking" cough with noisy breathing.
2. Acid reflux. The symptoms may include cough in children, frequent vomiting / spit, bad taste in the mouth, and heartburn. Treatment of reflux depends on the child's age, health, and other issues. Try these three tips: Remove the trigger foods from their diet (often chocolate, peppermint, fried, and spices, and fatty foods, and soft drinks). Eating before bedtime at least two hours. And eating snacks. See your doctor if you are concerned about your children acid reflux.
3. Asthma can be difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms vary from child to child. But coughing and wheezing, which may be worse at night, is one of the many symptoms of asthma. Others may cough that arise with increasing physical activity or while playing. Asthma treatment depends on what is causing it, and can include avoiding triggers such as pollution, smoke, or perfume. See your doctor if you think your child suffers from asthma symptoms.
4. Allergy / sinus infection can cause prolonged cough and itchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, or skin rash. Talk with your child's doctor about allergy testing to determine the allergens causing the problem, and seek advice on how to avoid allergens. It can include causing food allergens, pollen, pet dander, and dust. Your doctor may also recommend allergy shots or allergy medicine.
5. Featuring whooping cough, also called pertussis, through back to back coughing, followed by inhalation, which has a "whooping" sound. And may include other symptoms runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever. Whooping cough is an infectious disease, but it is easy to prevent vaccine. Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics.
6. Reasons other children cough: You may also cough and children of the habit after illness with a cough. After inhaling foreign objects such as food or small toys; or after exposure to irritants such as cigarette smoke or pollution from the fireplace.

Chronic Cough Treatments

Recognizing specific cause, and elimination or treatment of the cause, could result in improvement of chronic cough. Diagnostic testing may include allergy skin testing, lung function testing known as spirometry and GI evaluation for GERD.

Chronic cough treatment aims to eliminate the underlying cause. Each type of treatment is tried separately, one after another, until the cough is resolved. Seeing which treatment works best helps to figure out the underlying cause. Here are some examples of treatment choices for different causes of cough.

For Post Nasal Drip:

If your cough is related to postnasal drip, it may improve with the use of a decongestant, nasal or oral antihistamine, or a nasal spray. The best chronic cough treatment (or combination of treatments) depends upon your chronic cough symptoms and medical history. As an example, if you have nasal allergies, medications are chosen to control allergy symptoms. Oral antihistamines — Antihistamines that are taken as a pill can sometimes cause side effects such as drowsiness and drying of the eyes, nose, and mouth. Most oral antihistamines are available over the counter. (Antihistamines that are less likely to cause sleepiness, such as Claritin (Loratadine) or Allegra (Fexofenadine) are also less likely to help with cough.) Decongestant — A decongestant that improve nasal congestion. Nasal antihistamines — Prescription nasal antihistamine sprays can relieve symptoms of post-nasal drip, congestion, and sneezing. Nasal sprays — Nasal sprays like Atrovent (Ipratropium Bromide) can relieve runny nose, postnasal drip, and sneezing. Nasal steroids – Nasal steroids are the main stay in the treatment of postnasal drainage due to allergies.

For Cough Variant Asthma:

If your cough is due to asthma, you will be given the standard treatment for asthma, which includes an inhaled bronchodilator, like Albuterol, and inhaled glucocorticoid, like Pulmicort or Flovent.

For Acid reflux:

Lose weight if you are overweight, Stop smoking, Avoid eating for two to three hours before lying down, Elevate the head of the bed three to four inches.

For Eosinophilic bronchitis:

Eosinophilic bronchitis is treated with inhaled glucocorticoids, like Pulmicort or Flovent. These medications are also used for asthma and work to decrease inflammation in the airways.

If you have questions about Chronic Cough, feel free to contact our offices. One of our staff would be happy to answer your questions about Chronic Cough and discuss different treatment options offered at Allergy & Asthma Clinics of Ohio.

Dry Barking Cough Treatment in Toddlers

Dry Barking Cough . Dry cough is one where there is no phlegm or no sputum production. Most commonly you see a dry hacking cough which is seen in viral infections of the nose and throat. In which one has a continuous cough with a feeling of something being stuck in the throat.

The other type of cough is what is called a barking cough or croup,this is mainly seen in cases of laryngitis (swelling or infection of the larynx). The classic sign of cough due to this condition is pain in the throat and difficulty in breathing.

The barking cough

A barking sound accompanied by a high-pitched squeak when inhaling. Other symptoms include fever, hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing or breathing.

The likely cause:

Croup, a viral illness that occurs when the voice box and windpipe become inflamed, causing the airways to swell. To relieve this toddler cough:

Take your child into the bathroom, get a hot shower running, and close the door. Then stay in the steamy bathroom for 15 to 20 minutes. The warm moist air should ease the inflammation in the airways. Or try cool moist air by taking her outside into the cool night, or by opening the freezer and having her breathe in for several minutes.

Once your exhausted tot stops coughing, keep a cool-mist air humidifier in her room for the next few nights (croup generally lasts three to seven days).

If at any point your child has a high fever, struggles to breathe, or develops a bluish hue around her mouth, get medical help right away.

Dry Barking Cough Treatment in Toddlers

Treating Barking Cough

Calm your child . Croup can be frightening for your child. Crying will make the stridor sound much worse. It is important to keep your child relaxed by cuddling and staying calm yourself. Sit baby upright in your lap, play soft music, sing lullabies, read a story. If breastfeeding, offer the great pacifier.

Steam up the bathroom. Humidity helps clear a child’s breathing passages. Turn on the hot shower in your bathroom and close the door. While keeping your child calm, sit with them on your lap in the steamy bathroom. You should see some improvement in about ten minutes.

Inhalation of cool mist. If you have a cool mist humidifier or vaporizer, let your child breathe directly in front of the stream of mist. Once the child improves, keep the mist flowing near the bed for the rest of the night. If you only have a hot mist vaporizer, you can still use it but don’t get too close, as child can get burned.

Cool night air. If necessary, bundle-up your child and take him outside into the cool night air for 10-20 minutes, or take a slow car ride with the windows open. The misty night air is why babies with croup often improve en route to the ER.

The above suggestions usually work well within about twenty minutes (an hour for the fever), and the child is able to settle back to sleep. You should observe your child closely by sleeping in the same room the rest of the night, as another croup attack is likely, and the above treatments will need to be repeated.

Treat emergency room

Dry Barking Cough -What are they doing to you in ER? As they assess your child, you should encourage you to hold him on your lap, and remember to keep it quiet. Because they may measure the level of oxygen in his blood, with hypoxic or "pulse ox scale." This uses a small light source, which is wrapped around a finger or toe and helps to determine how your child is breathing. They may have you blow cool mist in front of your child's face. If your child's croup severe enough (and this is why you are in the ER), they may give him epinephrine vaporized to breathe with a cool mist. This works quickly to open the airways. Depending on the situation, and the ER doctor a short course of steroids may recommend. Do not worry. This is not the "body" type of building steroids. These help keep the airways open during the next few hours to days. Your child will only be on steroids for a few days, side to worry about the effects of No when used for a short time. The first dose often needs to be given as an injection, since the child with severe difficulty in breathing is not in the mood to take oral medication, or it may throw him.

Seal Bark Cough no Fever or Croup Cough no Fever

Seal Bark Cough no Fever  . Croup cough is a dry cough with the sound of barking like a seal. Coughing occurs because the windpipe (trachea) to swell due to viral infection

There are two types of cough and cold, which is accompanied by a fever and was not accompanied by fever. Cold cough without fever is common due to irritation or allergic to dust and cold air. If your child has an allergy on these factors means should be avoided from the originators, the dust and cold air.

When children cough, fever and runny nose is not high, usually is the flu. If during fever 3-4 days to a typical rash, it is likely that measles (caused by viruses). If cough accompanied by high fever> 39C, lethargic child and fast breathing, immediately contact your doctor, because it was feared pneumonia.

Signs and Symptoms of  Seal Bark Cough no Fever

At first, a child may have cold symptoms, like a stuffy or runny nose and a fever. As the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes more inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough. This loud cough, which is characteristic of croup, often sounds like the barking of a seal.

If the upper airway continues to swell, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe, and you may hear a high-pitched or squeaking noise during inhalation (called stridor). A child also might breathe very fast or have retractions (when the skin between the ribs pulls in during breathing). In the most serious cases, a child may appear pale or have a bluish color around the mouth due to a lack of oxygen.

Symptoms of croup are often worse at night and when children are upset or crying. Besides the effects on the upper airway, the viruses that cause croup can cause inflammation farther down the airway and affect the bronchi (large breathing tubes that connect to the windpipe).

Treatment for  Bark Cough no Fever at home

You can treat mild croup at home if your child has no breathing problems or noisy breathing when they are not crying. Suggestions include:

Comfort your child – having a croupy cough and noisy breathing frightens children and being scared makes the situation worse.

 Seal Bark Cough no Fever

1. Offer frequent drinks – unless your child is having difficulty swallowing.
2. Give paracetamol according to your child’s weight – only as directed by your doctor, if your child has a high fever or sore throat and if your doctor is sure the problem is not epiglottitis.
3. Moisture in the air – Some parents like to use vaporisers in their child’s room, but doctors do not currently recommend it as there is no evidence that humidified air helps croup and there is a risk of burns from the steam. If vaporisers are used, ensure that instructions for use are followed closely and the room is well ventilated.
4. Most, though not all, cases of viral croup are mild. Breathing in moist air helps most kids feel better, and ibuprofen or acetaminophen (only in children over 6 months old) can make them more comfortable. As with most illnesses, rest and plenty of fluids are recommended.

Croup Cough no Fever Treatment anoyher

The best way to expose your child to moist air is to use a cool-mist humidifier or run a hot shower to create a steam-filled bathroom where you can sit with your child for 10 minutes. Breathing in the mist will sometimes stop a child from severe coughing. In the cooler months, taking your child outside for a few minutes to breath in the cool air can ease symptoms. You also can try taking your child for a drive with the car windows slightly lowered.

Consider sleeping overnight in the same room with your child to provide close observation. If you cannot break your child's fast breathing and croupy cough, call your doctor or seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Medical professionals will evaluate your child if the croup appears serious or there is a suspicion of airway blockage. Doctors often treat croup with steroids to decrease airway swelling. For severe cases, doctors will give a breathing treatment that contains epinephrine (adrenalin). This reduces swelling in the airway quickly. Oxygen also might be given, and sometimes a child with croup will remain in the hospital overnight for observation

Immediately call your doctor or get medical attention if your child has:

1. a fatigued appearance
2. signs of dehydration (including a dry or sticky mouth, few or no tears, sunken eyes, thirst, no urine or only a little dark yellow urine for 8-12 hours, extreme tiredness)
3. a very sick appearance
4. difficulty breathing, including rapid or labored breathing
5. retractions: when the skin between the ribs pulls in with each breath
6. stridor: high-pitched or squeaking noise when inhaling
7. a pale or bluish color around the mouth
8. drooling or difficulty swallowing

Seal Bark Cough in Adults Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - Barking Cough

Seal Bark Cough . As the name suggests, this barking cough cough produces a loud voice, and the sound turned hoarse. It is often referred to as croup. However, croup is a respiratory disease caused by viral infection and may not always be the cause of the barking cough. In the normal case, barking cough may be a result of the vocal cords are swollen due to the common cold. Throat (larynx) and windpipe (trachea) are usually infected by the virus. It is mostly seen in children under the age of 5 years.

Seal Bark Cough in Adults Causes, Symptoms, Treatment - Barking Cough

Seal Bark Cough in Adults Causes

A cause that is regarded as the culprit in causing a croup cough is the inflammation of the larynx and the trachea. The larynx and the trachea get inflamed due to viral infections. Parainfluenza virus is found to be afflicting the trachea and causing it to swell up with redness and heaviness felt in the throat. Other causes of barking cough are as follows:

Influenza

Common cold and cough elevate and cause the throat to get scratched, thereby leading to irritation in the throat. When the throat is irritated, it leads to the person having a constant urge to cough due to which the bouts of cough become severe to endure.

Allergies

There are times when an individual is completely aversive to certain materials or herbs and cannot bear to stay in the vicinity of the same. Dust allergies, allergy due to mold infestation, varnish allergy and pollen allergy are some of the potential allergy types that prove to be a cause of severe cough.

Acid Reflux

It is when a person is prone to hyperacidity or gastrointestinal attacks that barking cough may occur. Often noticed after meals, there is an episode of regurgitation that attacks the digestive system. It is due to this that the individual may endure difficulty in breathing, leading to barking cough. When the cough becomes chronic in nature, it leads to asthma as well.

Pertussis

Also known as whooping-cough, this ailment is more common in children than adults. However, adults too could be victims of pertussis. Whooping cough is characterized by a 'whoop' sound that is caused at the end of each coughing episode. One is bound to experience wheezing, harsh coughing sound, watery eyes and runny nose with tongue seldom sticking out and turning blue in response to the intensity of the cough.

Barking Cough Symptoms

1. Loud, barking sound when coughing
2. Worsening cough at night
3. Swelling and infection which makes it difficult to breathe
4. High-pitched voice, called stridor, occurred during inhalation
5. Increased respiratory rate

Treatment of Barking Cough

1. Gargling with warm saline water three to four times a day. This will help soothe the throat.
2. Adding a few drops of lemon squeezed in a glass of water, that could be sipped at regular intervals, helps soothe the throat and reduce strong bouts of cough.
3. Stacking on a few pillows beneath your head while you sleep, especially during nighttime. With your head elevated, you are less prone to attacks or bouts of dry cough.
4. Using Bee balm, also known as Oswego tea or horsemint is a perennial herb that helps fight cold, cough and flu. Place two to three leaves of bee balm into a glass of hot water. Keep the mixture covered for a few minutes. Just sip through the mixture a few times during the day. A very useful remedy, especially when your nasal passage is blocked or you have a severe respiratory infection.
5. Inhaling steam and drinking lukewarm, or boiled water.
6. Staying away from dusty environment that elicits sneezes and bouts of cough.
7. Making a syrup by blending honey and fresh ginger pieces. Just ½ a teaspoon thrice a day may help in curbing the intensity of your croup.
8. Drinking a hot beverage is a welcome when our nose runs a water supply for hours on end. However, besides drinking ginger tea, you may try onion tea. Cut one onion into four pieces and place it in water. Let the water boil with the onion added to it. The onion leaves its spicy juices in water. Drink the tea to soothe a scratched throat and open your nasal tract.

If these remedies do not work too well for you and there is no significant improvement in your state, you must:

Consult your doctor without any further delay.

Consider the antibiotic course administered to you by the doctor and completing the prescribed course. Leaving the course halfway can result in barking cough affecting you all over again. This is, indeed true with any medication course you take and holds good for the treatment for all conditions.

Accept and adhere to his advise of getting certain examinations conducted. CBC (Complete Blood Count) and a routine Hemogram to check your hemoglobin may reveal the discrepancies in your system.

With these remedies, one may be equipped to counter the causes and symptoms of barking cough. As mentioned earlier, barking cough in adults is less prevalent; however, one may not rule out its potency completely.

Seal Bark Cough Toddler and Baby whit Treatment

Barking cough is caused by croup, which is an inflammation of the trachea larings and triggered by allergies, change in temperature at night, or are the most common upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. In young children, small airways will be narrowed when experiencing inflammation. Vocal cords will swell so that the child has trouble breathing.

Children aged less than 3 years most often suffer from croup. Croup can appear suddenly in the middle of the night, so parents were worried. Although most cases can be treated at home, if the child is suspected of having croup, contact your doctor to discuss his condition.

This cough is caused by allergies, changes in air temperature and upper respiratory tract infections. This cough can strike children suddenly, especially at night and before dawn when the child slept.

Seal Bark Cough Baby

What is croup?

Croup is a swelling of the voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). Croup can be caused by allergies, bacteria, or inhaled irritants, but it's usually the result of a virus.

Croup is most common in children between the ages of 3 months and 5 years, although a child can get croup at any age. The illness shows up most frequently in the colder months – between October and March. Most cases of croup today are not serious, but a severe case can require hospitalization.

What are croup symptoms?

Viral croup can have two distinct presentations, both of which are a consequence of swelling of the vocal cords resulting in a narrowing of the airway. The more common variety has symptoms of fever (100 F-103 F), mild hoarseness, and sore throat two to three days after virus exposure. Quick to follow is the characteristic dry "barking seal" cough that may be associated with a harsh, raspy sound during inspiration. (This sound, called "stridor," has been noted to resemble the breathing of the Star Wars character Darth Vader.) The symptoms commonly last for four to seven days.

The less frequent presentation of croup is called "acute spasmodic croup." These children will appear totally well when put to bed at night only to awaken their parents in the middle of the night with the above described barky cough and stridor. Fever and sore throat are not noted in these children, and the symptoms commonly resolve within eight to 10 hours from onset, and the child appears totally well until this same acute onset recurs the following night. This on/off pattern may occur over three to four nights in a row and then morph in to symptoms more characteristic of the common cold -- mucus-like nasal discharge and a "wet" cough for several days.

These two different presentations are the result of the particular virus that has infected the child. Manifestations of croup vary from mild (common) to life-threatening (rare). The severity of symptoms is proportional to the amount of relative narrowing of the airway. The more severe the vocal cord narrowing the more effort is required to inhale. A severely sick child will refuse to lie down, demanding to remain in an upright position. They will show retractions of the skin above the collarbone and between the ribs with inspiration and may develop facial cyanosis. Apparent exhaustion and decreased respiratory effort are an indication of impending respiratory failure and are cause for immediate paramedic evaluation and transport to the emergency department of the closest hospital.

How do you treat croup?

If this is your child's first bout of croup and the doctor determines that he has a mild case, you should be able to treat him at home.

Moist or cold air seems to reduce the swelling of the airways, so it may be helpful to take your child into a steamy bathroom (turn on the hot water in the shower or bathtub and close the bathroom door) or out into the cold night air for 15 to 20 minutes. Sitting straight up or standing will help him breathe more easily. If your child is too young to sit up straight or stand, try holding him upright.

The steamy bathroom treatment may help, but it won't make the cough go away completely. You may have to repeat the routine each time your child wakes up coughing during the night.

A cool-mist humidifier in your child's room can help you maintain a humid environment. (Clean the humidifier daily with a bleach-and-water solution to ward off the growth of mold and bacteria.) Also make sure your child is getting plenty of fluids.

If your child is more than a year old, you can try elevating his head a bit while he sleeps, to help ease his cough. (Don't use pillows with babies, as this increases the risk of SIDS.) You may also want to sleep in the same room with your child while he has croup, so you'll notice whether he develops any trouble breathing.

If your child has a fever and is uncomfortable, you might want to give him acetaminophen or, if he's 6 months or older, ibuprofen. (Never give a child aspirin, which can trigger a rare but potentially fatal disease called Reye's syndrome in children with a virus.) If your child is younger than 3 months old, talk with his doctor before giving him any medication, even over-the-counter remedies.

Don't give your child cough medicine. It won't have any effect on the swelling in his throat, and it can make it harder for him to cough up mucus. Antibiotics won't help, either, since a virus is probably the culprit, not bacteria.

If the steamy bathroom and cold air techniques don't provide any relief, the doctor may prescribe oral steroids to reduce the swelling and help your child breathe more easily. Oral steroids were previously used mostly for children with moderate or severe croup, but recent research suggests they may be worthwhile even in milder cases.

If your child has a severe case of croup that requires hospitalization, he may be given oxygen, an inhaled medication, or steroids to help reduce the swelling of his airways. He may also be given intravenous fluids to combat dehydration.

Can my child get croup again?

Yes. In fact, some children seem to be more prone to getting croup than others until their airways grow bigger. If your child gets croup a second time, try the at-home therapy right away. And don't hesitate to call your doctor, even if the previous episode was mild. Each bout of croup is different – some more serious or needing more aggressive treatment than others.

Is croup contagious?

Unless your child's croup is the result of allergies or irritants, the virus that's causing it is contagious, so keep your child home until she's free of symptoms.

How can I prevent my child from getting croup?

As with most illnesses, your first line of defense is frequent hand washing with soap and water. When possible, keep your child away from anyone who has a respiratory infection. And be sure to get any child older than 6 months vaccinated every year against the flu.

When should I call the doctor?

Call the doctor right away if you suspect that your child has croup. He'll probably ask you specific questions about your child's cough and breathing, so keep your child nearby while you're on the phone.

If your child has labored breathing or stridor when she's resting, take her to the hospital. While these symptoms can be part of a coughing fit, their appearance when your child is resting may mean that she has serious, potentially life-threatening swelling in her throat.

Of course, if your child seems to be struggling for breath and drooling, or her lips or skin are turning blue, call doctor right away.

Barking Coughs in Children and Treatment

Barking Coughs in Children

Barking Coughs in Children . If possible, keep your child quiet. Crying can make breathing more difficult. Try rocking bother your child with a book or play satisfactory.

Use a humidifier to add moisture to the air. The use of hot evaporator. Use a humidifier with water only. Keep your child in your lap and let's face directly impact your child cool mist.

If there is no improvement after a few minutes, take your child to the bathroom and turn on the shower to create steam. Close the door and stay in that room a few minutes while breathing in moist air. Make sure your child being burned by hot water or steam. Do not leave your child alone in the bathroom.

If there is still no improvement, your child pack and go outside in the cool night air.

If after trying them for about 30 minutes, none of these techniques does not work, call your doctor or seek emergency medical facility.

If your child's symptoms improve with these methods and he or she feels better, put your child back in bed with the humidifier blowing nearby.

Sleep in your child's room for the rest of the night.

Offer your child plenty of fluids to drink. Try offering a favorite drink several times each hour. You can try flavored ice treats, such as Popsicles, or crushed ice drinks.

Do not smoke in the house or car when you are traveling with your child.

Repeat the above techniques if the barking cough returns.

Barking Coughs Treatment :

1. Give the child plenty of clear liquids and use a vaporizer to keep the secretions moist.

2. During an attack of breathing difficulty, place the child in the bathroom, turn the shower on hot and fill the room with steam. Fifteen to 20 minutes in this environment will often relieve the attack. If this does not work, wrap the child up warmly and take her out into the cool night air for a few minutes. If these measures fail to help and she continues to have breathing difficulty, she will need to be taken to the office or to the emergency room.

3. If your child develops an inability to swallow manifested by constant drooling and has the above symptoms of barky cough, fever (usually high), hoarse voice and breathing difficulty, she may have a serious bacterial infection of the throat called epiglottitis. This requires an immediate trip to the emergency room.

4. Your child may need a dose of an anti-inflammatory steroid to get over this. Call for an appoinment if this is needed.

Treatment for Colds

1. Rest and encourage your child to eat nutritious foods.

2. You can use acetaminophen (Tempra, Tylenol) for fever and / or pain (see dosing guide) If this is particularly troublesome. Please see the section on fever in the mother's guide for information about the benefits of fever in fighting infection. Because fever is a physiological signal for the body to fight off infection, and I usually do not treat a fever in my Hasta on a routine basis, but if the child is very uncomfortable. In this mode, and the treatment of fever as little as possible.

3. saline nose drops. This is a very small especially useful for children who are unable to detonate them noses. Saline nose drops (AYR, Salinex Ocean) is very useful when you put it in the nose to relieve mucus. Must be two or three drops put in each nostril, wait a minute or so for the duration of the nose and with an aspirator to suction the nose (the bulb syringe) often as needed. In the use of nasal aspirator effectively, it is necessary to insert the tip of the nose aspirator one half inch in the nose and sip. This is done through the use of an aspirator with small type and insert it directly into the nose. It can make a saline nose drops at home by adding half a teaspoon of salt to four ounces of warm water. Allowing the solution to cool before use and make up fresh every day.

4. Vaporizer. Use a cool mist vaporizer to decrease the nasal congestion and make the mucus more thin. You should use this especially at night. Make sure to wash the water tank daily to prevent molds from forming in the tank. Although the steam of warm mist machines is actually a little better than cool mist machines, we usually do not recommend the use of warm mist machines because of the risks of burns with small children. If you can ensure that your child will not be burned, these machines are acceptable to use.

5. Warm shower. Another method of hydrating mucous besides a vaporizer, is to place or hold the child in the shower thus creating an environment of warm water vapor. This warm water vapor hydrates mucous and makes it easier to cough up the mucous. This is helpful two or three times per day with a bad cold, especially before bedtime.

6. Sometimes for older infants and children, nasal decongestants and cough/cold preparations can be helpful for comfort's sake (see dosage chart for dose & brand names in the Parent’s Handbook).