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Croup (Laryngotracheobronchitis)

Afsha Rais Kaisani, MD, FAAFP, Antony Y Ibrahim, MD and Niyomi De Silva, MD Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

Croup is a self-limited upper respiratory infection causing inflammation of the larynx and subglottic airway that presents with barking cough and inspiratory stridor. Although usually mild, cro...

DIAGNOSIS

  • Croup is a clinical diagnosis; most children present with acute onset of classic “seal-like” barking cough, inspiratory stridor, hoarseness, and chest wall indrawing.

  • Low to moderate grade fe...

TREATMENT

  • Treatment is supportive; severity of illness may dictate additional measurements.

  • Outpatient patients with severe croup or impending respiratory failure should be transported via ambulance to...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

Most with croup do not require specific follow-up. 

DIET

  • Cool, liquid diet is better tolerated.

  • Frequent small feedings

PATIENT EDUCATION

  • Croup is us...

REFERENCE

1
Hanna J, Brauer PR, Morse E, et al. Epidemiological analysis of croup in the emergency department using two national datasets. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2019;126:109641.
2
Smith DK, McD...

CODES

ICD10

  • J05.0 Acute obstructive laryngitis [croup]

  • J20.9 Acute bronchitis, unspecified

  • J38.5 Laryngeal spasm

  • J04.2 Acute laryngotracheitis

SNOMED

  • 71186008 Croup (disorder)

  • 85915003 Laryngotracheobronchit...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • LT and LTB outbreaks are most common in fall and winter seasons in ages 6 months to 3 years.

  • Symptoms often occur at night.

  • It is a clinical diagnosis, thus, medical management and stabi...

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