Taking The Bark Out of Croup with Natural Medicine

Croup is distressing for both parents and child. It's caused by a viral infection and therefore will not respond to antibiotics. In very severe cases steroid medicine may be prescribed.

Chances are if you're reading this, you'll be very familiar with the harsh barking cough, that sounds very much like a seal.

The characteristic barking cough often follows a runny nose and fever. The cough results from the virus causing inflammation in the upper airways. Although the cough sounds scary, it's almost never life threatening, but always remember to trust your own intuition and gut feeling, you know more about your child than any health professional.

Children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years are the most vulnerable and boys are more susceptible than girls.

Breathing steamy air can reduce the inflammation in your childs airways and reduce the severity of the cough. Close your bathroom doors and windows and run hot water until the room steams up. Place some blankets and towels on floor and sit with them. Singing, humming or reading a story will help to keep you both calm.

An attack of croup typically begins at night or in the very early hours of the morning when the temperature drops.

Spasms of barking coughing fits can make it difficult for your child to breathe it between coughs resulting in an anxious, terrified child (and parents). It's important to keep your child as calm as possible as anxiety makes the cough worse, the more anxious you are the more anxious your child will be.

Each attack can last from a few minutes to a few hours and usually recurs for a few nights.

Natural Remedies for Croup

Homoeopathic Medicines are by far the most effective remedies for croup.

Ensure that you keep a stock of the following remedies if your child is prone to this infection.

Homoeopathic medicines are always stopped when symptoms improve, so when your child's cough and distress are eased, stop the remedy. If the cough returns, start the remedies again.

1. Aconite 6C or 12C potency: Give 7 drops directly in your child’s mouth at the first sign of the barking courh. This is the first remedy given followed 30-60 minutes later by Hepar Sulph.

2. Hepar Sulph 6C or 12C potency: Give 7 drops directly in your child's mouth 30-60 minutes after Aconite. If the cough continues follow with Spongia.

3. Spongia 6C or 12C potency: Give 7 drops directly in your child's mouth 30-60 minutes after Hepar Sulph.

4. If the cough continues or returns alternate Hepar Sulph and Spongia every 30-60 minutes as needed.

5. Suggestions for Stage 1 in Lifecyle of a cold, can also be helpful for and should be started whenever your child develops a runny nose, just in case.

If your child exhibits the following symptoms, a trip to the hospital will be needed. Give a single dose of the Homoeopathic Medicine, Lachesis 30C (a single dose is 7 drops) on the way to the hospital or while waiting for the ambulance or doctor.

• A loud, high-pitched wheezing while breathing.
• Struggling to breathe or speaking in short sentences because of lack of breath.
• Difficulty swallowing during a croup attack.
• Signs of restlessness or sluggishness from respiratory distress or dehydration.
• Showing signs of respiratory distress including retractions of skin around the ribs from deep breathing, nostril flaring, or rapid breathing.
• A bluish colour to the skin, lips, or nail bed, indicates severe lack of oxygen in the body is considered an emergency (this is very rare).