Pseudo-Croup

It happens at night. From the middle of sleep your child begins to cough — a cough that sounds nothing like an ordinary cough. It is barking, rough, metallic. As if the air is being pressed through a far too narrow gap. Your child struggles for breath, its voice is hoarse, its inhalation wheezes. Fear stands in its eyes.

Medically, pseudo-croup is an inflammation of the airways in the area of the larynx — the mucous membranes swell and narrow the airway. It strikes mainly toddlers, because their airways are still narrow. Cold night air, infections, environmental irritants can be triggers. Conventional medicine treats the swelling, relieves the breathing difficulty, calms the child.