Patient Education| 2021 Croup: When Your Child Needs Hospital Care Connected Content Translation: El crup: En qué casos su hijo necesita cuidado hospitalario: (Croup: When Your Child Needs Hospital Care) Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Croup: When Your Child Needs Hospital Care. Pediatric Patient Education 2021; 10.1542/peo_document217 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All AAP SitesAll PublicationsPediatric Patient Education Search Advanced Search Croup is a common illness that affects the airways, making it hard for a child to breathe. It's most common in toddlers but can affect children between 6 months and 12 years of age. Another symptom is a loud barking cough that is worse at night. Trouble breathing and the barking cough can be scary for parent and child. Most children with viral croup also have low fever. Most cases of croup can be treated successfully at home. However, children with severe cases of croup may need to be treated in the hospital. Call 911 or an ambulance right away if your child Makes a whistling sound (called stridor) that gets louder with each breath.Cannot speak because of a lack of breath.Seems to struggle to get a breath.Has a bluish color of the lips, mouth, or fingernails.Drools or... Copyright © 20082008 American Academy of Pediatrics You do not currently have access to this content.