Health Tip: Comfort a Child With Croup

Croup is a respiratory infection common in young children, producing a bark-like cough.

The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these tips for parents of a croupy child:

• Don't give cough medicine to a child under 4 years old. But you can offer Tylenol to help ease pain. Never give a child aspirin.
• Run a humidifier in your child's room.
• Place a warm, wet washcloth over your child's nose. Ask the child to breathe through the cloth.
• Sit with your child for about 10 minutes inside a warm, steamy bathroom outside the shower. The shower should be running hot.