How Bad Is That Cough? 7 Bad Coughs to Worry About

Your child went to bed with a stuffy nose but he's been sleeping peacefully for a few hours. Suddenly, you hear what sounds like a barking seal over the baby monitor. You run in and find your child struggling to catch his breath.

What's probably causing it: Croup, a viral illness that causes inflammation in the larynx (voice box) and the trachea (windpipe). It's most common between October and March, and it usually affects children ages 6 months to 3 years. The telltale cough usually gets better during the day but returns for two more nights. He may also make a high-pitched whistling sound (called stridor) when he inhales. Some kids tend to get croup every time they have a cold.

How to help: When your child wakes up barking, bundle him up and go outside -- cold air often helps relax the airways. Or turn on a hot shower and sit with your child in the steamy bathroom for 15 to 20 minutes, since the warm, moist air also may help him breathe, says Parents advisor Jennifer Shu, M.D., editor of The American Academy of Pediatrics' Baby and Child Health. Call 911 if your child is truly having trouble breathing or if he has stridor that gets worse with each breath or lasts for more than five minutes. Between attacks, use a cool-mist humidifier in his room, and make sure he drinks plenty of liquids. Although croup usually resolves on its own, always call your doctor when you suspect it. Recent research has found that one dose of oral steroids -- which doctors used to prescribe only for severe croup -- may also be helpful for milder cases.

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