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Croup is a common childhood illness that causes a bark like cough. It can also cause difficulty breathing which can be frightening for both you and your child.

Croup is caused by a virus which affects the airways including the voice box (larynx), windpipe (trachea) and lungs (the bronchi) causing them to swell and become narrower. 

Some children have croup two or more times in their childhood.

Please see Red-Amber-Green tables for advice on when and where to seek care for your child.

Related topics: bronchiolitis, cough and colds, difficulty breathing

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When should you worry?

Newborn

NEWBORN

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is newborn and they…

  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm into their chest, or always crossing their legs 
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own 
    • You may also find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy, or have floppy arms or legs when awake
  • Move their arms and legs in repetitive jerky movements, or writhing movements
  • Don’t have a Grasp Reflex (doesn’t grab your finger or small object when you put it in their hand)
  • Are often startling and you cannot understand why
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Rarely moves one of their arms compared to the other arm
    • Rarely moves one leg compared to the other leg
    • When your baby startles, one side moves or looks different from the other

6-8 weeks 

6-8 WEEKS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 6-8 weeks and they…

  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm into their chest, or always crossing their legs 
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own
    • You may also find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy, or have floppy arms or legs when awake
  • Move their arms and legs in repetitive jerky movements, or writhing movements
  • Have not started to bring both their hands to their face, or do not move their arms much
  • Keep their hands fisted, and you find it difficult to open their hands
  • Can’t lift their head when lying on their tummy
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Mostly moves one arm or mostly brings one hand to their face
    • Rarely kicks or moves one leg compared to the other leg

2-3 months

2-3 MONTHS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 2-3 months and they…

  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm into their chest, or always crossing their legs
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own
    • You may also find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy, or have floppy arms or legs when awake
  • Move their arms and legs in repetitive jerky movements, or writhing movements
  • Have not started to bring both their hands to their face, or do not move their arms much
  • Keep their hands fisted, and you find it difficult to open their hands
  • Can’t lift their head when lying on their tummy
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Mostly moves one arm or mostly brings one hand to their face
    • Rarely kicks or moves one leg compared to the other leg

3-4 months

3-4 MONTHS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 3-4 months and they…

  • Have lost skills which they could do before
  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm to their chest, or always crossing their legs
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own
    • You find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy when awake
  • Prefer to keep their arms by their sides. For example, they do not reach for things, or do not bring their hands together over their face or tummy
  • Move their arms or legs in repetitive, jerky, or strange ways
  • Still need you to support their head, or can’t lift their head when lying on their tummy 
  • Have very tight fists and it’s hard to open their hand
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Rarely use one of their arms to pick up toys 
    • Rarely kick one leg compared to the other

4-6 months

4-6 MONTHS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 4-6 months and they…

  • Have lost skills which they could do before
  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm to their chest, or always crossing their legs
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own
    • You find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy when they are awake
  • Move their arms or legs in repetitive, jerky, or strange ways
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Rarely use one of their arms to pick up toys 
    • Rarely kick one leg compared to the other
  • Are unable to roll, or can roll in one direction but not the other
  • Find it difficult to reach their arms out. For example, they do not reach for toys
  • Still have their early reflexes, like the startle reflex and grasp reflex
  • Keep their legs flat when lying on their back. For example, they do not bring their feet to their chest
  • Still need you to support their head

6-9 months

6-9 MONTHS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 6-9 months and they…

  • Have lost skills which they could do before
  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm to their chest, or always crossing their legs
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own
    • You find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy when they are awake
  • Move their arms or legs in repetitive, jerky or strange ways
  • Move one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Rarely use one of their arms to pick up toys, or eat and drink
    • Rarely kick one leg compared to the other
  • Can’t sit without support. For example, they lean on their hand, or, when they sit, their back is very curved
  • Still have their early reflexes, like the startle reflex and grasp reflex
  • Keep their legs flat when lying on their back, for example, do not bring their feet to their chest
  • Still need you to support their head
  • Still need you to help turn their head when lying on their back
  • Can’t crawl, or find it hard, for example, drags one of their legs behind them
  • Find it difficult to stand, for example:
    • Can’t stand with support 
    • Doesn’t try to pull themselves up to stand
  • Can’t move a toy from one hand to the other
  • Doesn’t use both hands to hold larger things

9-12 months

9-12 MONTHS

Contact your health visitor or GP if your baby is 9-12 months and they…

  • Have lost skills which they could do before
  • Feel very stiff, for example:
    • Hold their arms and legs in the same position, such as always pulling their arm to their chest, or always crossing their legs
    • Find it difficult to change their position on their own 
    • You find it difficult to move your baby’s arms or legs, making it tricky to change their nappy or clothes
  • Feel very floppy when they are awake
  • Move their arms and legs in repetitive, jerky, or strange ways
  • Use one side of their body more than the other, for example:
    • Lean to the side when they sit
    • Use one arm to pull to stand more than the other
    • Rarely use one of their arms to pick up toys, or eat and drink. 
    • Rarely kick one leg compared to the other 
  • Find it difficult to sit, for example:
    • Only sit with support
    • Lean on their hand when sitting
    • When they sit their back is very curved
  • Can’t move a toy from one hand to the other
  • Don’t use both hands to hold larger things
  • Don’t point to objects
  • Can’t crawl, or find it hard, for example, drags one leg behind them
  • Find it difficult to stand, for example:
    • Can’t pull themselves up to stand
    • Find it hard to pull themselves up. For example, they only use their arms and don’t push with their legs
    • Can’t stand with support

2 months

Your Baby By Two Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

  • Calms down when spoken to or picked up
  • Looks at your face
  • Seems happy to see you when you walk up to her
  • Smiles when you talk to or smile at her

Language/Communication Milestones

  • Makes sounds other than crying
  • Reacts to loud sounds

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

  • Watches you as you move
  • Looks at a toy for several seconds

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • Holds head up when on tummy
  • Moves both arms and both legs
  • Opens hands briefly

4 months

Your Baby By Four Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

  • Smiles on his own to get your attention
  • Chuckles (not yet a full laugh) when you try to make him laugh
  • Looks at you, moves, or makes sounds to get or keep your attention

Language/Communication Milestones

  • Makes sounds like “oooo”, “aahh” (cooing)
  • Makes sounds back when you talk to him
  • Turns head towards the sound of your voice

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving

  • If hungry, opens mouth when he sees breast or bottle
  • Looks at her hands with interest

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • Holds head steady without support when you are holding him
  • Holds a toy when you put it in his hand
  • Uses his arm to swing at toys
  • Brings hands to mouth
  • Pushes up onto elbows/forearms when on tummy

6 months

Your Baby By Six Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

  • Knows familiar people
  • Likes to look at self in a mirror
  • Laughs

Language/Communication Milestones

  • Takes turns making sounds with you
  • Blows “raspberries” (sticks tongue out and blows)
  • Makes squealing noises

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

  • Puts things in her mouth to explore them
  • Reaches to grab a toy she wants
  • Closes lips to show she doesn’t want more food

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • Rolls from tummy to back
  • Pushes up with straight arms when on tummy
  • Leans on hands to support herself when sitting

9 months

Your Baby By Nine Months

Social/Emotional Milestones

  • Is shy, clingy, or fearful around strangers
  • Shows several facial expressions, like happy, sad, angry, and surprised
  • Looks when you call her name
  • Reacts when you leave (looks, reaches for you, or cries)
  • Smiles or laughs when you play peek-a-boo

Language/Communication Milestones

  • Makes a lot of different sounds like “mamamama” and “bababababa”
  • Lifts arms up to be picked up

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

  • Looks for objects when dropped out of sight (like his spoon or toy)
  • Bangs two things together

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • Gets to a sitting position by herself
  • Moves things from one hand to her other hand
  • Uses fingers to “rake” food towards himself
  • Sits without support

1 year

Your Baby By One Year

Social/Emotional Milestones

  • Plays games with you, like pat-a-cake

Language/Communication Milestones

  • Waves “bye-bye”
  • Calls a parent “mama” or “dada” or another special name
  • Understands “no” (pauses briefly or stops when you say it)

Cognitive Milestones (learning, thinking, problem-solving)

  • Puts something in a container, like a block in a cup
  • Looks for things he sees you hide, like a toy under a blanket

Movement/Physical Development Milestones

  • Pulls up to stand
  • Walks, holding on to furniture
  • Drinks from a cup without a lid, as you hold it
  • Picks things up between thumb and pointer finger, like small bits of food
RED
RED

If your child has any of the following:

  • Breathing very fast, too breathless to talk, eat or drink
  • Working hard to breathe, drawing in of the muscles below the ribs 
  • Breathing that stops or pauses
  • A harsh noise as they breathe in (stridor) present all of the time (even when they are not upset)
  • Drooling more than normal and struggling to swallow their own spit
  • Is pale, blue, mottled and/or unusually cold to touch
  • Difficult to wake up, very sleepy or confused
  • Weak, high-pitched, continuous cry or can’t be settled
  • Has a fit (seizure)
  • Is under 3 months old with temperature more than 38°C or under 36°C (unless fever in the 48 hours following vaccinations and no other red or amber features)
  • Has a rash that does not go away with pressure (the glass test)

You need urgent help.

Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency (A&E) Department or phone 999 - consider using ‘What 3 words’ to best describe location to ambulance service

AMBER
AMBER

If your child has any of the following:

  • Breathing a bit faster than normal or working a bit harder to breathe
  • A harsh noise as they breathe in (stridor) only when upset
  • Dry skin, lips or tongue
  • Not had a wee or wet nappy in last 8 hours
  • Poor feeding in babies (less than half of their usual amount)
  • Irritable (Unable to settle them with toys, TV, food or hugs even after their fever has come down)
  • Is 3-6 months old with temperature 39oC or above (unless fever in the 48 hours following vaccinations and no other red or amber features)
  • Temperature of 38oC or above for more than 5 days or shivering with fever (rigors)
  • Temperature less than 36°C in those over 3 months
  • Getting worse and I am still worried

You need to contact a doctor or nurse today.

Please contact your GP surgery or call NHS 111 - dial 111.

If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 111 staff, recheck that your child has not developed any red features.

AMBER
AMBER
Green
Green

If your child has none of the above

  • Watch them closely for any change and look out for any red or amber symptoms
  • Additional advice is also available for families for help cope with crying in otherwise well babies
  • If your child has a long term condition or disability and you are worried please contact your regular team or follow any plans that they have given you.

Self care

Continue providing your child’s care at home. If you are still concerned about your child, call NHS 111 – dial 111.

Self care and Prevention

What are the symptoms of croup?
  • A cough. The cough is usually harsh and barking. This ‘croupy cough’ is due to inflammation and swelling of the vocal cords in the voice box (larynx).
  • Noisy breathing. The infection can narrow the voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea) and cause an extra noise called a stridor. This noise is normally heard on breathing in.
  • Breathing may become difficult if the narrowing becomes worse.
  • Your child may also have a runny nose, hoarse voice, sore throat, high temperature (fever), general aches and pains and be off their food. Croup may follow a cold but can also appear without any earlier illness. 
  • The symptoms of croup appear worse at night. A mild but irritating cough may persist for a further week or so.
How can I help my child?
  • Stay calm. This will help keep your child calm. Children with croup may become upset. Crying may make their symptoms worse.
  • Sit your child upright on your lap if their breathing is noisy or difficult. Let them find the most comfortable position.
  • Encourage your child to drink cool drinks regularly (little and often) to help soothe their throat and keep them hydrated.
  • If your child seems to be in pain or discomfort, you can give your child Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, following the instructions on the container.
  • If their temperature is high, dress them in cool, loose clothes (if any) and don’t use anything warmer than a sheet to cover them in bed.
  • Stay with your child or check him or her regularly. You need to know if the symptoms are getting worse.
  • Some people find that taking their child outside in the cool, fresh air helps to relieve their symptoms.
  • There is no evidence that steam inhalation helps. There is a risk of scalds if steam is used.
  • Do not give cough syrup. It is not recommended for children under 6 years. It can make children sleepy and does not help croup.
How is croup treated?
  • Your child may be given a steroid medicine called dexamethasone or prednisolone which can reduce airway swelling.
  • As croup is caused by a viral illness antibiotics are not needed.

Video Showcase

Croup _ English

04:54

Croup_Punjabi

06:42

Croup _ Gujarati

05:07

Croup _ Polish

05:48

Croup _ Urdu

06:51

Croup _ Bengali

06:52

Croup explained by Dr Ranj

04:16

Croup

0:35

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