Croup in Children

Barking cough, stridor, what to do at home, and when to seek urgent care

MEDICALLY REVIEWED - APPROVED FOR WEBSITE PUBLICATION

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare
2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611 | 559-538-3070

Croup is usually a viral illness that causes swelling around the voice box and windpipe. It often begins like a cold, then causes a hoarse voice and a tight, barking cough. Symptoms commonly become worse at night. Most children improve with time, but breathing difficulty needs prompt attention.

Urgent warning signs - check this first

Call 911 now for severe trouble breathing, blue or gray lips or face, a child who is limp or difficult to wake, or another life-threatening emergency.

Call 911 now if your child is struggling for each breath, cannot speak or cry because of breathing difficulty, has blue or gray lips or face, drools or cannot swallow saliva, or seems faint, limp, or unusually difficult to wake.
Go to an emergency department now if the ribs or skin at the base of the neck pull in with each breath, your child has stridor while resting, or breathing is getting worse rather than better.
If croupy symptoms started suddenly with choking, after a food, new medicine, insect sting, or another possible allergic exposure, seek emergency care. These may not be ordinary viral croup.

What is stridor?

Stridor is a harsh, high-pitched sound heard mainly when breathing in. It is different from a cough or chest wheeze. A brief sound only while crying or coughing can occur with milder croup; stridor heard while a child is calm and resting can signal more serious airway narrowing.

What to do at home for mild croup

Mild croup means a barky cough with no stridor when your child is calm and resting, no increased work of breathing, and drinking well enough to stay hydrated.

Stay calm and keep your child calm. Crying and fear can worsen the cough and make breathing look harder.
Hold or sit with your child upright for comfort. Offer frequent fluids. Eating may be less important for a day or two than drinking.
For discomfort or fever, use only a medicine and dose recommended for your child by their own healthcare professional or an authoritative dosing resource. Never give aspirin to a child or teenager.
Steam in a bathroom, humidifiers, and cool night air have not been shown to shorten croup or improve breathing. Do not use hot steam, which can cause burns. Focus on calm, comfort, and watching the breathing effort.
Avoid tobacco or vape exposure, which can irritate breathing passages.

Contact your child’s healthcare professional today

Stridor is present now, even if the child otherwise seems comfortable.
Stridor occurred earlier but is no longer present, especially in a baby younger than 1 year.
Your child is drinking poorly, has much less urine, a very dry mouth, no tears when crying, or other signs of dehydration.
Fever lasts more than 3 days, returns after being gone, or your child is getting worse rather than gradually improving.
Croup happens often, symptoms persist beyond about 2 weeks, or you are concerned that another problem may be causing the barky cough.

What medical treatment may involve

A clinician can assess the breathing effort and may recommend a steroid medicine to reduce airway swelling. Children with more significant symptoms may need emergency treatment and observation. Do not use another child’s medicine or leftover prescription medicine.

What to expect

Croup often lasts several days and usually improves with time. The barking cough may linger after the most concerning nighttime symptoms have passed. Children can usually return to child care or school when they are fever-free, feel well enough to participate, and can be cared for safely by staff. Follow the program’s own illness policy.

Sources and medical review

Sources checked: August 14, 2026 | Medical review completed: August 14, 2026