False croup disease in children. False croup in children: the name is dubious, but the disease is real! Classification and types of disease

When the upper respiratory tract is affected by a viral infection, a person's voice is hoarse, shortness of breath and a barking cough appear, breathing becomes heavy and noisy. These symptoms are enough for the doctor to diagnose the patient with false croup. The disease mainly affects babies from three months to three years.

The disease belongs to the category of dangerous, since a fatal outcome can occur with a high probability if the patient is not provided with medical assistance in time. False croup appears mainly at night. A calmly sleeping baby suddenly starts to cough. There is wheezing in the throat, the child begins to choke. These symptoms frighten parents, but this is how false croup begins in children.

What is false croup?

False croup is a very dangerous disease of the respiratory system, which occurs against the background of an acute respiratory viral infection. Young children most often suffer from manifestations of false croup. This is due to the anatomical and physiological features of the structure of their body:

• The diameter of the child's larynx is only 0.5 cm. When an infection enters the respiratory system, the walls of the larynx thicken and swell. This causes a reduction in the airway in the throat.
• The body's response to infection is the production of large amounts of mucus. It also reduces the diameter of the air paths.
• To all this, there is also a reflex spasm of the laryngeal muscles, which prevents air from entering the lungs in sufficient quantities.

Attacks of false croup occur most often at night. In 90% of cases, they go away on their own, but it still happens that the child urgently needs qualified medical assistance, otherwise irreparable things may happen. That is why, in order to avoid such situations, you need to call a doctor as soon as the first signs of false croup appear.

Narrowing of the larynx is most common in children between the ages of two and four. Sometimes six-month-old or one-year-old babies also suffer from this disease. In children who are over five years old, the frequency of false croup is not as high. This is due to the peculiarities of the development of the larynx.

Young children are prone to false croup. The reason for this is the following anatomical properties:

• short vocal folds;
• conical shape of the larynx;
• too small diameter of the cartilaginous skeleton;
• overly excitable muscles adjacent to the glottis.

The disease does not appear in all babies, but only in those who are in the so-called risk group. These include children:

• boys (they are 3 times more likely to suffer from false croup than girls);
• allergic to drugs and food;
• with birth trauma
• with congenital narrowness of the airways;
• overweight;
• recently vaccinated;
• who get sick very often and for a long time.

The danger of a false croup is that due to stenosis of the larynx, it becomes more and more difficult for a child to breathe.

In this regard, the disease has another name - stenosing laryngitis, which is accompanied by a constant narrowing of the lumen of the larynx (we recommend reading:).

Causes of the disease in children

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False croup is a viral disease that occurs as a result of damage to the respiratory system. Laryngeal stenosis may be based on:

• flu;
• whooping cough;
• herpes;
• mycoplasmas;
• adenovirus;
• scarlet fever;
• chlamydia;
• measles;
• parainfluenza;
• RS virus;
• chicken pox.

Acute laryngotracheitis can develop against the background of scarlet fever or another viral disease.

In addition to the viral causes of false croup in children, microbial ones are also isolated. These infections include:

• hemophilic;
• staphylococcal;
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• streptococcal;
• enterococcal, etc.

Medical practice has shown that for the development of laryngeal edema in a child, special conditions are needed that are inherent only in a child's body. It:

• conical shape of the larynx;
• highly located vocal cords;
• rapid reaction of the laryngeal muscles to any stimuli due to the high degree of excitability;
• the unique anatomy of the larynx and trachea, inherent only in children (due to their softness, they can be squeezed by the tissues located around);
• small length of the vocal cords;
• immature nervous system;
• imperfect regulation of reflexes;
• predisposition to swelling.

The disease is much more common in boys than in girls.

False croup is a dangerous disease that does not occur on its own. It appears as a complication after such diseases:

• pharyngitis;
• adenoiditis;
• tonsillitis;
• acute rhinitis.

Most often, the disease manifests itself in spring and autumn. It is at this time that children most often get sick with a cold, as a result of which a false croup can develop. The fact is that caring mothers heavily dress their children in the off-season. As a result, babies sweat and catch colds.

In addition to all the above reasons why a child may become a victim of false croup, one more should be mentioned - this is contact with a sick baby. The disease is contagious and can be transmitted through the air. That is why a small sick patient must be isolated from other children, and all his toys, furniture and other items of use must be disinfected.

Symptoms and stages of the disease

Every attentive parent will be able to suspect a false croup in a child even at its first manifestations.

Since this disease is a consequence of infectious diseases, mothers and fathers should pay special attention to the baby, who fell ill and began to cough badly. False croup is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• stridor (breathing with a sound resembling a whistle) (we recommend reading:);
• a state of lethargy or overexcitation;
• labored breathing;
• attacks of coughing, reminiscent of barking;
• sinking of the chest wall;
• hoarseness in voice.

In medicine, false croup is divided into several stages. Each of them has its own characteristics. 4 stages of croup:

1. compensated;
2. subcompensated;
3. decompensated;
4. terminal.

The first stage of false croup is characterized by overexcited behavior of the child, as a result of which he has difficulty breathing. During inhalation, single wheezing slips, a barking cough begins, shortness of breath appears. At this stage, oxygen enters the body in sufficient quantities.

The onset of the disease is accompanied by severe shortness of breath

The second stage (subcompensated) is characterized by noisy breathing and increased shortness of breath. The child becomes even more restless, the cough becomes coarser, and during his attacks the skin becomes pale, cold sweat comes out, the skin in the mouth turns blue. These manifestations indicate that the body is deficient in oxygen.

At the decompensated stage of croup, lethargy and lethargy become apparent in a child. Breathing with noises is replaced by quiet, arrhythmia, hypercapnia, hypoxemia appear. The pressure drops sharply, the voice becomes hoarse, and the skin becomes bluish.

The last stage of croup is terminal. The child is in critical condition. He may have seizures or develop a coma. Blood circulation slows down, as a result of which asphyxia may occur. If the child does not receive emergency medical attention, the chance of suffocation is very high.

Diagnostic methods

In order to diagnose false croup in a patient, it is enough for a doctor:

• get acquainted with the data of the anamnesis (for example, if the symptoms arose as a result of SARS);
• conduct an objective examination (perform a visual examination, monitor blood pressure indicators, assess the nature of breathing and heart function, listen to the chest in order to identify whistling dry rales).

Video endostroboscopic examination of the larynx with a rigid endoscope

In order to confirm the diagnosis, doctors use the method of laryngoscopy, with which you can visually assess the condition of the mucous membrane of the larynx. For this, a special device is used - a laryngoscope. This method makes it possible to detect redness and swelling of the mucosa, as well as narrowing of the laryngeal lumen.

In addition to laryngoscopy, doctors use additional diagnostic methods such as:

• microscopic examination of a smear taken from the pharynx;
• bacteriological analysis of a throat swab;
• polymer color reaction (makes it possible to detect the causative agent of the disease);
• analysis of the acid-base state of the blood and its gas composition (helps to assess the degree of hypoxia);
• identification of specific antibodies to identify the pathogen.

Features of treatment

First aid for a child

The speedy recovery of the child depends on the timely received first aid. False croup is a disease that does not tolerate delay.

Croup can cause serious complications. That is why, as soon as the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is necessary:

• call an ambulance;
• provide the baby with an elevated position (seat in his arms or put on the bed);
• calm the child
• ventilate the room and humidify the air in it;
• give the baby a lot of warm drinks;
• provide access to cold air (you can wrap the child up and go out with him to the balcony, or, as an option, bring the baby to the bathroom, in which the tap with cold (not hot!) Water is open);
• prepare a warm foot bath for the child (for reflex expansion of blood vessels).

An attack of croup can be stopped by pressing on the root of the tongue. The same effect will be obtained if the baby is tickled under the nose. It is important to know that any steam procedures (for example, inhalation or rubbing) are strictly prohibited for this disease.

Hospital treatment

The main treatment of false croup in a child is carried out in a hospital. It consists in:

• preventing further attacks;
• removal of puffiness;
• fight against the inflammatory process.

Therapy, which can only be prescribed by a qualified specialist, includes:

• injections with hormonal drugs (help relieve swelling of the larynx);
• inhalations with Naphthyzinum and saline solution (make breathing easier);
• anti-infective treatment (antibiotics and antiviral drugs);
• sedatives (to calm the baby);
• diet and drinking plenty of water.

With false croup, one of the methods of complex treatment is inhalation

If the stenosis proceeds in a severe stage, the patient is given tracheal intubation with the installation of a breathing tube. In extreme cases (with the onset of suffocation), a tracheotomy is performed with the installation of a breathing tube.

Therapy at home

If the treatment takes place at home, then all the recommendations of the doctor must be strictly observed. The patient needs:

• provide fresh air (ventilate and humidify the room where the baby is located);
• give alkaline drink or drugs that promote the discharge of mucus from the respiratory system;
• do not feed food that can irritate the walls of the throat;
• give means to soften the throat;
• use (strictly prescribed by a doctor) antihistamines to relieve swelling and relieve coughing;
• with severe stenosis, give anti-inflammatory drugs;
• give antifungal and antibacterial agents in a timely manner if an infection is detected.

The child's room should always be well ventilated and humidified.

Preventive actions

Preventive measures that will help prevent false croup are:

• hardening of the throat;
• general strengthening of the body;
• humidifying the air in the room where the baby is located;
• compliance with hygiene rules;
• timely treatment of colds;
• proper nutrition (foods such as citrus fruits, chocolate, bright fruits, spices, quite often become the cause of the appearance of false cereals);
• frequent heavy drinking;
• long walks in the fresh air;
• avoiding contact with children with SARS;
• proper clothing (it must be appropriate for the season so that the baby is neither hot nor cold).

As for hardening the neck, it is carried out something like this: you need to take a glass, pour water at room temperature into it and let the child gargle. Gradually, the temperature of the water should be lowered, but this should be done slowly and carefully. Rushing can make your baby sick. After 2-3 months from the start of hardening, you can switch to procedures with cold water.

By itself, laryngitis and laryngotracheitis do not pose a serious danger, but in some cases they are complicated by bouts of false croup. Acute stenosing laryngotracheitis or - a disease that occurs in children from six months to two or three years. Until now, the mortality from this disease is quite high. Often, mothers are simply lost when a child has an attack of stenosis, they lose precious minutes, not being able to recognize the onset of the disease in time, or, of course, provide the necessary assistance.

Basic terms to make it clear:

• Stenosis and obstruction- in this case, they mean the very narrowing of the subglottic space, which is caused by mucosal edema.
• Auxiliary muscles These are muscles that are not involved in breathing in a healthy state. They begin to participate in breathing only in case of difficulty. Accessory muscles include the wings of the nose, abdominal muscles, intercostal muscles, and muscles in the collarbone region.
• Inspiratory dyspnea- difficulty breathing.
• false croup- this is an edema of the mucous membrane below the vocal cords, which has a viral or bacterial-viral origin.

The younger the child, the more severe this disease is. Of course, there may be exceptions. The occurrence of laryngeal edema is facilitated by the characteristics of the child's body. The glottis in children is narrow, its muscles get tired easily (even after a cry), the vocal cords and mucous membrane are tender, their blood supply is very good, which determines the tendency to edema and the occurrence of stenosis (narrowing) of the larynx.

False croup has also been described in infants and older children. Laryngeal edema can be both the first manifestation of the disease, and a "gift" on the "tail" of the underlying disease. This condition can occur against the background of any body temperature. The attack, as a rule, occurs at night in the morning. There may be a recurrence of an attack after treatment. There are children who accompany each infection with attacks of suffocation. Most often, false croup can be expected from allergic children.

The disease is caused, as a rule, by viruses, and develops gradually, over several days.

False croup: how to suspect?

False croup develops most often suddenly, at night. A child may go to bed apparently quite healthy, and at night completely unexpectedly wake up excited, with bouts of loud "barking" cough.

In addition, there is hoarseness of voice, shortness of breath. Already at a distance, a whistling labored breath is heard, which, in turn, causes tension in the auxiliary respiratory muscles, nostrils flaring, tension in the muscles of the child's neck.

The skin, during an asthma attack, becomes bluish, the heart rate increases. The body temperature most often does not exceed 38ºС. An asthma attack lasts an average of 30 minutes to 2 hours and gradually disappears.

signs mild edema appear mainly with crying and anxiety. There is a "barking" cough, an elongated noisy breath, without the participation of auxiliary muscles. In a calm state, shortness of breath weakens, but noisy breathing persists.

With an average severity false croup in a child, the above symptoms are complemented by noticeable arousal, sweating, marble pattern of the skin. Auxiliary muscles take part in the act of breathing (the wings of the nose swell, tension of the neck muscles occurs).

When the glottis becomes even narrower, the so-called decompensated stenosis, the condition of the child is serious. Inhalation at rest is noisy, prolonged, labored. The skin is pale with an earthy tint, covered with cold sweat, persistent cyanotic color of the tip of the nose, lips, fingers. Excitation is replaced by lethargy, periodically the baby shudders. In very severe cases, loss of consciousness and respiratory arrest may occur.

ATTENTION! If your child has a bout of "barking" cough and difficulty breathing, call the doctor immediately.

Emergency first aid for stenosis:

1. Try to calm the child by removing unnecessary people from the room. The groaning of grandmothers will only frighten the baby, and it will be easier for you when you are left alone with the child.

2. While you are taking care of the baby, have someone call an ambulance.
(Be sure to call an ambulance team at any degree of stenosis. Only a doctor can say for sure that your child has a false croup, and not an attack of bronchial asthma, pneumonia or a foreign body in the airways.)

3. Let the child breathe in cool, humidified air if possible. Be sure to ventilate the room where the child is. Cold air reduces swelling of the mucous membranes. To do this, wrap the baby and you can go to the window or go out onto the balcony, breathe through the open window. In the summer, you can open the freezer door and try to take a few breaths there. Remember, without fanaticism, sharply cold air when moving a child from a deliberately warm room to a very cold one, on the contrary, can cause reflex sasm of the larynx (narrowing of the airways) and aggravate the course of the disease.

4. Be sure to give the child any allergy remedy available at home: suprastin, fenkarol, diphenhydramine. In an emergency, you can give the child a whole pill, regardless of age. Give half a pill - it won't get any worse. One-time use of an increased dose of the drug for allergies will not bring harm. Antiallergic drugs help reduce swelling and limit the area of ​​its spread.

5. If there is an inhaler in the house ( nebulizer), you can carry out inhalation with a 0.05% solution of naphthyzinum, lasting up to 5 minutes.

To prepare an inhalation solution, a 0.05% drug should be diluted with saline in a ratio of 1:5 (per 1 ml of the drug 5 ml of saline) or a 0.1% drug should be diluted in a ratio of 1:10 (per 1 ml of the drug 10 ml saline).

To relieve edema, 2 ml of the resulting solution is inhaled once, if necessary, the procedure is repeated.

Be careful, such inhalations are fraught with an overdose of naphthyzinum. This method should be used only in extreme cases.

6. Do not force bed rest on your child. The child himself knows what position of the body at the moment will make it possible to facilitate breathing.

7. Give warm alkaline drink. It can be milk or mineral water. Baking soda can be added to milk at the tip of a knife. It is better not to give hot drinks because it causes additional swelling of the soft tissues of the throat and irritates the mucous membranes. The optimal temperature of the liquid is the one that is pleasant for the child. Children themselves feel the need to drink and, as a rule, do not refuse. It is better to give liquid in small portions after 5-10 minutes. A large amount of alcohol drunk can provoke vomiting at the height of a coughing fit.

In any case, even if you managed to relieve an attack of false croup on your own, do not leave the child without medical supervision, call the local doctor. If you are offered hospitalization - do not refuse. Or you can boldly insist on hospitalization for observation. Often, attacks of false croup tend to recur for short periods of time.

Prevention of false croup:

In the room where the sick baby is located, the air should be warm, fresh, humidified, but not damp.

Be sure to give your child antihistamine (anti-allergic) drugs at a time when he is sick. This will help, if not avoid, then reduce the risk of occurrence and severity of an attack of false croup.

False croup in a child what to do

False croup or stenosing laryngitis in children is an acute inflammatory process of the larynx, which is characterized by all 5 signs of inflammation, such as swelling, dysfunction, pain, temperature, redness. Due to severe edema, the lumen of the larynx narrows, which makes it difficult for air to pass through. False croup appears most often in children aged 6 months to 6 years in the form of a barking cough, hoarseness and severe difficulty breathing, especially when inhaling.

False croup is also called: stenosing laryngitis, acute obstructive laryngitis, subglottic laryngitis, subglottic laryngitis.

First aid for false croup in children at home consists in calling an ambulance (emergency medical care), calming the baby, providing access to moist cool air (the child on the balcony or in the bathroom, in which you need to open the tap with water), drip into nasal vasoconstrictor drops, give antihistamine and anti-inflammatory drugs, ensure plenty of fluids.

False croup - narrowing of the lumen of the larynx, which in most cases is caused by acute respiratory viral or bacterial infections. It must be clearly understood that, in addition to false croup, in medicine there is such a thing as true croup. True occurs only with diphtheria, when diphtheria films close the lumen of the larynx, as a result of which the air flow is blocked.

Acute obstructive laryngitis in most cases can develop in children from 6 months to 6 years. If the child is breastfed, then the mother's milk provides him with protection against viral and bacterial infections, thereby nullifying the possibility of stenosing laryngotracheitis. Artificial feeding increases the risk and severity of croup.

The main symptoms of false croup in children can develop instantly, within a few hours.

1. Against the background of a cold, a hoarse voice may appear in a baby due to swelling of the larynx and vocal cords. This should alert parents. You must understand that the lumen of the larynx in children is very small. For clarity, take your child's pen and look at his little finger, this is approximately the lumen of his larynx. Is it really small?
2. Barking cough. Dry and not expectorant, much like a barking dog, cough. At the same time, it hurts your child to cough, he tries to restrain himself so as not to cough and cause pain. In foreign literature, coughing with false croup is compared with the croaking of a crow. In Scots, the word "croup" is translated as "croak". When you hear such a cough, you will immediately understand that something is wrong.
3. Labored, noisy and rapid breathing. A feature of such breathing is difficulty in inhaling. The inspiratory time is increased. Moreover, at the very beginning, when the swelling of the larynx is not yet very pronounced, at rest the child can breathe normally, and with any activity he has noisy breathing on inspiration. If you watch the baby, you can see that the process of breathing involves the intercostal muscles and wings of the nose.

It is very important to know that deterioration always occurs at night, so if the baby has hoarseness in the evening, parents should already be on the alert and make the right decision.

False croup - first aid

If the symptoms of false croup developed quickly, and you see that the child does not have enough air, here is the first aid algorithm. Help that you can provide yourself at home.

1. The first thing to do is call an ambulance or emergency medical service 03 or 103(it depends on which country you live in);
2. Calm down the child. In a calm state, the body requires less oxygen, plus stress causes additional reflex spasms of the larynx, which only aggravates the situation. Remember that you won't be able to calm your child if you don't calm yourself. I understand perfectly well that this is easier said than done in this situation, but the most calm state will help you complete all subsequent actions and save your baby's life.
3. Give your child access to fresh, moist air. I'll tell you right away what it's for. In the place of narrowing of the larynx, viscous sputum accumulates, which aggravates the course of false croup. With the help of moist air, drinking plenty of water, inhalations, you will achieve liquefaction of sputum and its expectoration. This will greatly improve the symptoms of stenosis and allow you to breathe normally. Those. it is necessary to remove sputum, which additionally blocks the airways:
   • this can be achieved by taking the child to the balcony if it is a cool season;
   • lead him into the bathroom by opening the taps, preferably with hot water. The air in the bathroom will become humid, this will alleviate the condition;
   • turn on the humidifier, if available, hang wet sheets or towels to additionally humidify the room;
   • inhalation through a nebulizer, if available. It is possible to inhalation both with alkaline solutions (Borjomi mineral water) and with ordinary physiological saline;
   • Plentiful warm drink. Warm liquid is absorbed into the body faster;
   • To expectorate sputum, you can cause reflex vomiting in a baby by pressing a spoon or spatula on the root of the tongue or touching the tongue.

Emergency first aid for false croup with drugs from a home medicine cabinet

1. Plentifully drip vasoconstrictor drops into the nose (naphthyzinum, galazolin, rinazolin, knock-spray, nazivin, etc.). Adrenomimetics, which are part of these drops, cause vasoconstriction, which in turn leads to a decrease in edema.
2. Antihistamines (tavegil, diasols, loratodin, etc.). By giving the child a pill to drink, you will remove the allergic component of the edema.
3. Anti-inflammatory or antipyretic drugs - NSAIDs (ibuprofen, nurofen, paracetamol). NSAIDs - non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - have, in addition to antipyretic, also anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effects.

After completing all the steps, you will alleviate the condition of the child before the arrival of a doctor or ambulance.

Further treatment of the disease that has arisen depends on the severity and cause of its occurrence. The answer to this question will be given to you by a doctor (pediatrician, ENT doctor or infectious disease specialist) after an objective examination, tests, instrumental methods of research.

Most often, with the right response and the implementation of the above steps, the treatment of false croup ends in the admissions department of the hospital, where, after examination, the doctor diagnoses stenosing laryngitis of viral etiology (about 90%), and your child is given inhalation with a glucocorticosteroid (pulmicort is widespread with false croup in children). After inhalation of corticosteroids (pulmicort), the edema disappears and the child is sent for outpatient treatment.

To help the baby in an emergency against the background of acute respiratory infections, you need to know about false croup in children, its symptoms and treatment. This will help ease the well-being of a small patient and wait for medical help. What to do if a false croup has developed in a child, our article will tell.

Basic concepts

False croup in children and its symptoms occur when the mucous membrane of the larynx is involved in the inflammatory process. Doctors call it subglottic laryngitis or stenosis.

The essence of the pathology in this case lies in the suddenly developing narrowing of the lumen of the larynx. It develops as a complication of the underlying disease. The causes are considered acute respiratory infections:

• parainfluenza;
• measles;
• chicken pox;
• acute rhinitis;
• tonsillitis.

Also, with the development of pathology, the weakening of protective reactions plays a role. They occur in situations:
Let the baby drink liquids as much as he wants, in small sips

• chronic inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system;
• birth trauma;
• allergic dermatitis;
• oxygen starvation of the fetus;
• food allergy;
• hypovitaminosis;
• artificial feeding;
• increased nervous excitability;
• immunodeficiency syndrome.

Children under 6 months of age do not develop false croup. due to the transfer of specific immunity from the mother. With breastfeeding, the percentage of development of pathology is minimal.

As the baby grows older, the immunity loses, which leads to the development of a false croup at the age of 1-5 years. Older than 6 years, this condition develops extremely rarely..

Gorohova V.A., infectious disease specialist, 15 years of experience

False croup syndrome complicates acute viral infections. It is important not only to stop the attack, but also to cure the underlying disease.

3 main forms of pathology

Among doctors there is a clinical classification. It is based on pathomorphological changes in the mucous membrane, age and symptoms. There are 3 forms of false croup in children:

1. The edematous variant develops in children under the age of 1.5-2 years. This is due to anatomical features.
2. The infiltrative form occurs when the subglottic space in the larynx thickens. Changes are formed without the provision of medical care with an edematous variant. Typical for children under 2 years old.
3. The obstructive form has a severe course. In this case, complete blockage of the lumen of the larynx and asphyxia occur. Develops in children older than 2 years. A severe form is observed with the addition of a secondary infection and the development of descending obstructive laryngotracheobronchitis. Such cases lead to death..

Stenosis of the larynx includes 2 components that overlap each other. It is mechanical and reflex. Therefore, with a small degree of narrowing of the lumen, severe symptoms are observed in children with increased nervous excitability. Such a mechanism for the development of laryngeal stenosis causes a multicomponent treatment of an emergency.

4 degrees of stenosis of the larynx

False croup in children is subdivided according to the nature of clinical manifestations with varying degrees of narrowing of the airway lumen. This classification includes 4 degrees of stenosis of the larynx:

1. Compensated (I), when the main symptoms occur with violent emotions or stress.
2. Subcompensated (II) is characterized by increased dyspnea. She worries a small patient during physical activity and at rest. It has an inspiratory character (difficulty inhaling).
3. Decompensated (III) degree corresponds to severe shortness of breath at rest. Inhalation and exhalation is difficult.
4. Terminal (IV) stenosis is characterized by suffocation. Severe degree of subglottic laryngitis, leading to the death of the child. Rarely develops with false croup.

Main complaints

In children, false croup develops at night or in the early morning hours. The child notes:

• difficulty breathing and noisy breathing;
• voice change - hoarseness;
• fear and anxiety;
• weakness;
• "barking" cough with scanty mucous sputum (if it persists, it is possible to release streaks of fresh blood due to vascular injury);
• signs of the underlying disease - sore throat, runny nose.

The kid is tossing about in bed, he is excited. The eyes are open. The skin is pale and moist. The lips and fingertips on the hands and feet take on a bluish tint. These symptoms are characteristic of the pre-asphyxia stage.. They are short lived. Such asthma attacks tend to increase in clinical manifestations.

If you do not provide emergency care at this stage, the pathology passes into the stage of asphyxia. The child becomes lethargic, inhibited. Breathing is superficial. The skin is pale with a bluish tint.

For a severe form of stenosis and the addition of a secondary bacterial infection, symptoms are characteristic:

• fever;
• severe shortness of breath;
• sputum thick, viscous, forms dry crusts;
• development of cardiovascular insufficiency.

The most severe in children under 2 years of age is false croup on the 3rd-5th day of the underlying disease. Against the background of the development of necrotic lesions of the larynx, deaths are recorded in most cases.

In the absence of complications and the addition of a bacterial infection, the symptoms of false croup disappear after 2-3 days. However, with the next acute respiratory disease, a second attack is possible.

How to suspect the development of pathology

False croup in children is diagnosed quickly and easily. The main steps in doing so are:

• complaints of a small patient;
• medical history;
• general inspection;
• differential diagnosis.

There are no specific additional methods of examination. Their implementation is dictated by the severity of the development of pathology, clinical symptoms and suspicion of complications of the underlying disease.

Objective examination

During a general examination, the doctor pays attention to the following indicators:

Differential diagnosis with true croup is important in determining the tactics of managing a child. True and false croup have major differences.

When hospitalized in a hospital, blood tests, serological tests, and radiographic methods of examination are prescribed. A transcript of the general blood test can be viewed.

First aid

False croup in a child occurs at home, when medical care is not within walking distance. Parents should not let the baby's condition worsen.

First aid for false croup in children is not therapeutic. Her main task is to wait for the arrival of a team of doctors. The activities are of a general nature:

• give an antipyretic (Nurofen, Panadol) at a temperature of more than 38 ° C; (more information on antipyretics for children);
• provide an influx of cool fresh air with a maximum level of humidity: turn on the humidifier, hang wet towels, put basins of water by the bed;
• soothe the child;
• with nasal congestion - vasoconstrictor drops (Nazivin, Otrivin, Vibrocil); (read how to choose drops for a child);
• plentiful warm alkaline drink: milk with soda or borjomi, juices, linden or raspberry tea;
• causing a cough and gag reflex by irritating the root of the tongue or the back of the pharynx - this will help improve the patency of the lumen of the larynx by removing the thick secret accumulated in it;
• inhalation with saline through a nebulizer is not contraindicated - it helps to expel sputum and improve well-being; (what is a nebulizer and which one will be better will answer for you).

Krestova A.A., resuscitator, experience 5 years

Stenosing laryngitis in SARS rarely leads to severe consequences. The majority of children admitted to the intensive care unit were diagnosed with the addition of a secondary infection.

Parents of such patients learned how to treat false croup in children on the Internet. Self-treatment at the same time, leads to sad consequences.

When false croup has developed, first aid is immediate!

It is forbidden to use rubbing ointments with a pungent odor, antibiotics and traditional medicine when a child is suffocating.

In case of a recurrent course, manipulations are agreed with a specialist. From traditional medicine it is safe for a child to offer infusions of medicinal herbs in the absence of allergies to them. The recipes are given below:

1. An infusion of sage or plantain leaves is prepared at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 250 g of boiling water. Infuse for 15 minutes, strain.
2. Chamomile tea is more convenient to make from filter bags. For a glass of boiling water - 2 pcs. Drink in small sips.

The above manipulations are sufficient if the attack of false croup was mild. In moderate and severe variant of the course, hospitalization in the infectious diseases department with intensive care units is indicated.

It is not necessary to force the child to drink large volumes of liquid during the development of laryngotracheitis. It only makes you feel worse. Drink your baby often and in small portions.

Medical therapy

If the attack was not stopped, then upon the arrival of the doctors, immediate assistance is provided. When false croup occurs in children, emergency care includes the appointment of:

• humidified oxygen inhalations – oxygen therapy;
• injection of antihistamines - Pipolfen, Tavegil, Suprastin, Diphenhydramine; (we will tell what other antihistamines exist);
• with nervous excitement - sedative drugs (Seduxen);
• inhalation through the nebulizer Naphthyzinum (5 ml of 0.05% per 5 ml of water for injection), Adrenaline, Pulmicort;
• intramuscular or intravenous administration of hormonal drugs - Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone, Dexamethasone;
• to reduce swelling in severe cases - diuretics (Lasix).

Tishkina I.A., district pediatrician, experience 10 years

Inhalations with false croup in a child are the main component of the treatment process.

At the first symptoms, you can use a nebulizer to breathe in a simple saline solution and Naphthyzinum. This will reduce the severity of laryngitis.

Emergency care for false croup is aimed at preventing complications and delivering the child to the department.

In addition to the above drugs in the hospital are prescribed for planned admission:

• antiviral drugs (Algirem, Arbidol, candles Genferon Light or Viferon); (how to choose inexpensive and effective antiviral drugs);
• sputum thinning and expectorant drugs: Lazolvan (in the form of syrup and solution for inhalation), Flavamed, Ambrohexal, Gedelix, Bronchobos, Ambrobene, Bromhexine;
• anti-inflammatory syrup - Erespal;
• vitamins.

• plentiful warm drink;
• bed rest;
• airing the room every 2-3 hours, humidifying the air;
• food is warm and grated.

When bacterial complications are attached, antimicrobial drugs are added to therapy. An effective treatment for false croup is prescribed by a doctor!

Since laryngeal stenosis is prone to recurrence, the parents should have the necessary drugs in the medicine cabinet. Some of them are presented in the table.

It is advisable to have the above drugs in the first-aid kit with a recurrent course of false croup in children for its treatment.

Do not be afraid to use hormonal drugs in emergency situations. Pulmicort with false croup in children is effective and safe. When inhaled, its absorption into the systemic circulation is minimal, and the effect is maximum.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

• reduce air temperature as much as possible and humidify it;
• drip vasoconstrictor drops;
• call an ambulance.

Self-treatment, when a false croup arose, Komarovsky believes, should not be! This will make the situation worse.

Parents ask questions how to treat, that's what we'll talk about.

What are the reasons if your child coughs at night? with treatment and the fact that the baby is contraindicated.

What symptoms indicate that a child has an allergic cough and how to treat it, see.

Prevention

Prevention of the development of false croup is to avoid acute respiratory infections. For these purposes it is shown:

• planned vaccination;
• quarantine measures for influenza in the family, preschool and school institutions;
• hardening of the body;
• proper clothing for the weather;
• inclusion of fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet;
• the use of local antiviral drugs (Grippferon, Viferon ointment) in the ARVI epidemic.

In the case of the development of the disease in a child - strict adherence to doctor's prescriptions. These measures do not eliminate the risk of developing laryngitis, but reduce it. For more information about the treatment of laryngitis, see.

conclusions

Knowing about false croup, its symptoms and treatment, if it occurs, you will be able to provide competent first aid. However, only a doctor selects an adequate treatment that avoids undesirable consequences.

Preschool children often suffer from serious illnesses that can cause serious harm to the health of the baby. One of these dangerous diseases is false croup. Such a disease is dangerous because it causes swelling and spasms in the baby, making breathing difficult and causing suffocation.

Symptoms of false croup in children

With a false croup, a narrowing of the child's larynx develops. It occurs due to swelling or spasm of muscle tissue. Usually, the cause of this condition is the peculiarity of the respiratory organs of the child. In the preschool period, a significant number of blood vessels and are concentrated in the larynx in babies. This makes the throat more vulnerable. The funnel-shaped form of the trachea and bronchi, which allows microbes to localize at one point, aggravates the situation even more.

Most often, an attack develops unexpectedly in the evening or at night. The child begins to cough, barking or croaking. Then the baby becomes a hoarse voice or may even disappear. The child begins to breathe noisily and often.

Such difficult breathing inevitably affects the work of the heart. His work becomes more frequent, the skin becomes pale, dark shadows lie around the eyes, and blue appears along the line of the nasolabial folds.

If the child suffers from this infectious disease, he may have a fever. If the false croup is caused by an allergy, then the child's skin becomes covered with rashes, accompanied by itching. In the future, suffocation may develop. This state cannot be allowed.

Treatment of false croup in children

If a child develops edema and spasm of the larynx of the first or second degree, then treatment is carried out in a hospital in the infectious diseases department. With a higher degree of stenosis, the baby is hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

The process of treating this disease consists in solving three problems - it is necessary to prevent the occurrence of new attacks, cure inflammation and eliminate swelling. Treatment must be prescribed by a doctor, independent actions can only provoke deterioration and generally lead to the most dangerous consequences.

The main measures taken are:

• A regular influx of fresh air, and therefore the room must be periodically ventilated. When the air is too dry, it makes sense to use humidifiers.
• The child must be given an alkaline drink, which greatly speeds up the process of sputum separation.
• The child should not be fed too hard food that irritates the surface of the throat.
• To soften the surface of the throat, give the child lozenges, use inhalers and aerosols.
• To relieve swelling, give the baby antihistamines prescribed by the doctor. This will quickly remove the swelling and make it easier for the child to cough up.
• With severe stenosis of the larynx, it is necessary to give the baby glucocorticoid medications and anti-inflammatory drugs that the doctor prescribed.
• If a baby has an infection of a bacterial or fungal nature, be sure to use antifungal and antibacterial medicines prescribed by the attending specialist.

If conservative treatment fails, then tracheostomy and intubation are performed. In most cases, false croup heals well. Respiratory blockage is rare. With this disease, the peak occurs on the second day of the disease, and within a week you can track the clinical picture.

First aid for false croup

Since, with a false croup, laryngeal edema develops, which threatens the life of the child, it is very important to give the baby first aid in time.

The sequence of actions should be like this:

1. Be sure to call an ambulance immediately.
2. While waiting for the arrival of specialists, calm the child. After all, his nervous state and crying only increase the intensity of the cough.
3. Lay the baby on the bed so that the top of his body is higher. To do this, put a couple of pillows under the head and back of the child.
4. Prepare a warm drink - a soda solution with a concentration of 2% or warmed milk mixed with mineral water. These products help dissolve phlegm and perfectly moisturize the mucous membranes of the throat.
5. Using a nebulizer, if possible, inhale with mineral water. You can use saline instead of mineral water.
6. In the room where it lies, open the window. The baby will need moist air, so use a humidifier or hang wet towels around the room. Humidified cold air will help relieve swelling of the larynx.
7. If possible, the baby can be wrapped in a warm blanket and taken out to the balcony.
8. A vasoconstrictor drug can be dripped into. Inhalation with such a drug through a nebulizer will also work well.
9. If the child's age allows, give him an antihistamine, which will reduce the swelling of the larynx. To relieve spasm, it is permissible to give the child the drug No-shpa. If the baby has a fever, give some antipyretic.

However, you need to know about those actions that you absolutely cannot do:

• Without the appropriate recommendation of a doctor, you should not give cough medicine to the crumbs.
• Do not rub and do not put mustard plasters.
• Do not inhale with homemade inhalers.
• Do not feed your child foods that can cause. These include all citrus fruits, raspberry jam and honey.