Please take the time to read the Ministry of Health guidelines regarding Croup which is currently circulating in the community. Croup is contagious and the information below highlights the symptoms, treatment & prevention.

Viral croup

• This begins with a cold that develops into a barky cough.
• The child’s airway will swell, making breathing noisy and more difficult.
• Your child may have a temperature as high as 40°C.

The greatest danger is if your child’s windpipe swells so much that they cannot breathe.

Spasmodic croup

This type of croup causes spasms that occur during the night and early morning.

• Your child will wake up, gasping for breath, within a few hours of going to bed.
• During the spasms, you’ll hear hoarseness and a barky cough.
• You might also hear a rasping noise (called ‘stridor’) when your child breathes in.

The spasms usually don’t occur during the day – and your child may seem better in their breathing and hoarseness during the day as well.

When croup is serious

Take your child to the nearest emergency department or call 111 immediately if:

• they seem to be struggling to breathe (worse than the noisy breathing)
• they appear extremely anxious or frightened, or look blue
• they’re dribbling and cannot swallow
• they cannot speak
• their chest sinks in when trying to breathe in
• they make a whistling or crowing sound while breathing in.

Self care

• If your child is upset, cuddle them in your lap and try to keep them calm (reading them a story might help). If they’re upset, it can make their breathing worse.
• If they have a sore throat, give them a cool drink to sip on – this can help soothe the throat.
• You can give your child paracetamol if they’re in pain or are miserable with fever. Make sure to follow the dosage instructions on the package – taking more than the recommended dose is dangerous.

Keep your child calm and don’t panic. If your child has serious croup and needs to go to hospital, it is safest to go by ambulance.

Call Healthline 0800 611 116 if you are unsure what you should do.

Note: The use of steam for croup is no longer recommended – there is no evidence it actually helps, and in some cases children have been badly burned by the hot water.

How croup spreads

• Croup is contagious (catching) for 4–6 days, until the fever settles.
• It spreads through the air when people with croup sneeze or cough.

Keep your child at home and away from other children and adults if they’re coughing or sneezing.

Your child can return to day care or school after the fever is gone and they’re feeling better.