Pseudocroup: First aid for pseudocroup seizures
Pseudocroup, also called infectious croup, is a disease of the respiratory tract that only occurs in childhood. The disease appears suddenly, is very noticeable and known to many mothers. Pseudocroup occurs almost exclusively in the cold season, when we are particularly susceptible to the cough and cold viruses. It typically only occurs at night and, while severe, is not life-threatening. Here you can find out what you can do to alleviate your child’s symptoms.
What is pseudocroup?
Small children between the ages of about one and five years are usually particularly susceptible. The reason for this lies in the small cross-section of the trachea and larynx. At this age, the diameter of the airways is initially only about eight millimeters. Pseudocroup causes swelling of the mucous membranes caused by infection. This changes the flow of air in the respiratory tract and irritates the fine hairs in the trachea. This triggers the typical pseudocroup cough . However, the seizures are not life-threatening and severe seizures are rare.
Croup symptoms and causes
Pseudocroup usually begins with a banal infection such as a cold or hoarseness . Sometimes you may notice that your child is “hatching” something. Often, however, there are no harbingers of the nocturnal seizure. You put your child to bed as usual and they fall asleep peacefully. Then, around midnight , he is awakened by a fit of barking, dry coughing . The cough sounds so hollow, as if it comes from deep down in the stomach and is more reminiscent of the barking of seals and is not to be confused with a normal cough.
Breathing in in particular is made more difficult, exactly the opposite of what happens during an asthma attack. Your child is hoarse and wheezes when breathing. He is afraid of not being able to breathe due to the sudden awakening caused by the difficulty in breathing. You should take into account that your child is in fear of death at this moment. This panic causes a spasm of the larynx . Shortness of breath generally only occurs when the frightened child increases the breathing resistance by screaming.
Pseudocroup: calm down (you and) your child!
Calm action and reassurance is the most important thing your child needs now, because reassurance relaxes. If it really is pseudocroup, it is usually completely harmless. Show your child that you can trust yourself and that you will help them.
When such an attack occurs for the first time, very few parents remain calm. It is then also perfectly fine to alert the doctor or emergency services if the situation is previously unknown. Many parents also drive their children to the children’s hospital at night.
Then try to alleviate the symptoms caused by the pseudocroup
In order to help your child with croup, you have to get the swollen mucous membranes in the trachea and larynx to go down. A good option is to take your child out into the cold air , because the cold makes the swelling go down. Your little one will be wrapped up warm and then carried to the open window or onto the balcony . Even a short walk around the house relieves the symptoms and is a distraction at the same time.
In most cases, this measure is sufficient to end the seizure. However, if there is no improvement after half an hour, you should call a doctor or the emergency services. If you have cortisone suppositories at home, you can give your child an appropriate dose (depending on the child’s age and weight).
No humid, warm air!
In the past, it was often recommended to alleviate pseudo-croup attacks with warm, humid air, which is produced by turning on the hot water in the bathroom. However, this is now strongly discouraged, as many children find it even more difficult to breathe in this way. So better refrain from this method!
Why does pseudocroup only appear at night?
Cortisone is an endogenous substance that is formed in the adrenal cortex and has an anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect. The formation of cortisone is not the same at all times of the day. Most cortisone is made available in the morning and least around midnight. Pseudocroup therefore only occurs at night.
It makes sense and is natural to give your child a cortisone suppository during a pseudo-croup attack if the classic measures are not effective or only insufficiently effective. If the seizures occur more frequently, the doctor will usually give you an appropriately dosed suppository for emergencies. In this case, cortisone is a one-off dose without any side effects worth mentioning.