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Prevention

By Mayo Clinic staff

To prevent croup, take the same steps you use to prevent colds and flu. Frequent hand-washing is most important. Also keep your child away from anyone who's sick, and encourage your child to cough or sneeze into his or her elbow.

To stave off more-serious infections, keep your child's vaccinations current. The diphtheria and Haemophilus influenza type b vaccines offer protection from some of the rarest — but most dangerous — forms of upper airway infection.

Lifestyle and home remedies
References
  1. Flint PW, et al. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05283-2..X0001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05283-2&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
  2. Woods CR. Approach to the management of croup. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
  3. Zoorob R, et al. Croup: An overview. American Family Physician. 2011;83:1067.
  4. Russell KF, et al. Glucocorticoids for croup. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001955.pub3/abstract. Accessed Nov. 29, 2012.
  5. Wilkinson JM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 29, 2012.
DS00312 Jan. 30, 2013

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