goodtoknow says: Croup only tends to happen to children under 6 and is more common in the under 3s. The main symptoms, which are often worse at night, are a distinctive, barking cough and noisy breathing. Your child will also feel pretty unwell with general aches and pains. Croup can sometimes follow a cold but can also come out of the blue. It's caused by a virus in the voice box which makes the vocal chords and the breathing tubes swell up. Most children recover within a week although a mild cough may last longer.

For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of croup from patient.co.uk, read on.

Croup is often mild, and most children soon recover. In some cases severe breathing difficulties develop. About 1 in 10 children with croup are admitted to hospital, usually for a short time until symptoms ease. A steroid medicine is often prescribed to ease symptoms.

What is croup?

Croup is an infection of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). These are the upper and lower parts of the breathing tube that connects the mouth to the top of the lungs. The usual cause of croup is a viral infection. Several different viruses can cause croup.

Who gets croup?

Croup occurs most commonly between the ages of one and three years, but any child under six can develop it. As children become older, their breathing tube becomes firmer and wider. An infection by a similar virus in an older child or adult may cause a cough or sore throat, but is unlikely to cause the breathing symptoms of croup (described below). Croup often occurs in epidemics in the winter. Boys are more commonly affected than girls. Some children have two or more bouts of croup in their childhood.

- Find out more: what are the symptoms?

- Coughs and colds in young children
- Coping with your toddler's coughs and colds
- More on your toddler's health and wellbeing

• Next: What are the symptoms of croup?

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