Croup: a clinical examination

Respiratory illness is a common reason for parents or care givers to access primary healthcare settings. Croup or laryngotracheobronchitis is an acute respiratory condition that causes distress and concern¹.

Croup affects approximately 3% of children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years but can also be diagnosed in older children and young people, although this is less frequently observed in this age range². The peak incidence for croup is in the 2-year age group mainly because of changes in their immunity status and the fact that they have a relatively small subglottic space¹. Of this figure 6% may need hospital admission. However this is only approximate as treatment using corticosteroids and nebulised adrenaline, introduced as treatment in the 1990s, may have influenced this number^{3, 4}.