Can you still remember when your child suffered Croup the first time? My heart cracked a bit as I nursed my son while he cried and "barked".

Croup could be caused by viruses (parainfluenza virus in most cases), bacteria or an allergic reation. It normally isn't just a single illness but more like different conditions which lead to the upper airway being inflamed which then causes that cough that sounds a lot like a bark.

More often than not, it occurs during winter months and early spring. And symptoms normally worsen at night.

We've been told (in books and even by doctors) to help our child breathe better by running a hot shower in order to create a steam-filled bathroom. I did that. I sat there and cuddled my son, waiting for his throat to clear up and for him to settle down.

However, as reported by Statesman, "in a study published in March in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from the University of Toronto found that high humidity did not improve symptoms for children with croup. In fact, they warned that inhaled moisture can aggravate coughing in children who are wheezing and that a home humidifier can be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria or have nasty fungi in its water reservoirs."

If warm treatment doesn't work, try the cold option. In any case, I always think it's best to consult with the doctor immediately.

[source: Kidshealth]