Croup

We see it very often as it is the season right now. Croup is defined as an infection of the windpipe and vocal cords . Since it is the narrowest part of the airways, it is very important for this area to not swell due to infection. Generally, families panic when their completely healthy children suddenly wake up with choking like panic attacks. The disease causes serious concern to the parents. There is a cough that is described as barking, and families feel that their child is suffocating. Of course, it may not always be a serious start in this way, it may become more severe with milder cold symptoms. Fever may not always be present, but difficulty swallowing, increased salivation, hoarseness, and restlessness are often present.

Although croup is mostly caused by viruses, it can sometimes be accompanied by bacterial infections. In the case of illness due to bacterial infection, it takes a slightly more serious course.

This disease occurs through close contact and droplets, as in other respiratory tract infections. There is a risk of infection more easily in closed and crowded environments without adequate ventilation. The risk of transmission to children is higher, as adults may have a milder course and be ignored. The place of antibiotic treatment is limited as it is mostly due to viral infection. Although the effect of treatment is controversial, in recent years cold steam therapy can be applied practically at the beginning. It will be beneficial both to give cold steam with the nebulizer device or to open the freezer section door of the refrigerator then breathe cold air. It is best to head an emergency health center as soon as possible. Your child's restlessness due to not being able to breathe easily and coughing in a coarse tone may adversely affect the course of the disease. Therefore, it is very important that you try to calm your child. In the hospital, various drugs can be given appropriately by air machine, intravenous line or orally. In recent years, a very rapid recovery process has been started with very effective treatments. The important thing is to diagnose the disease and start the appropriate treatment.

There is no specific vaccination situation for prevention. Further investigations should be performed under recurrent disease. It would be useful to conduct research on its connection with allergy and reflux disease.

Şükrü Çido MD.