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Humidifiers for Treatment of Croup

Home treatment techniques that include the use of humidifiers are in most cases all that is necessary to treat mild cases of croup. Usually caused by a virus, croup tends to attack children ages 6 months to 3 years and causes inflammation of the upper airways, which can make breathing labored. The tell-tale sign of croup is a bark-like noise that sounds like a seal when your child coughs.

  1. Making Difficult Breathing Easier

    • Adding moisture to the air is one of the recommended techniques to help the airways that become inflamed during a croup attack. While often more intense moisture is necessary in the form of a steam shower, a humidifier can potentially add enough moisture to the air in your child's room to help manage the croup and possibly help prevent another attack. Doctors recommend keeping the humidifier in the room for the duration of the virus, which usually lasts from three to five days.

    Why The Air Is Dry

    • Today's modern conveniences like central heating and air conditioning naturally reduce the humidity in the air and make the air much drier, especially in the winter. While there are no health implications of moisture-free air for healthy folk, people with respiratory illness, or healthy children prone to croup, dry air can exacerbate their conditions. Humidifiers help to put some of the moisture back into the air.

    Humidifier Specs

    • Make sure to place a cool-mist humidifier in your child's room next to her bedside so her face is within a few feet of the cool mist spray. A warm air vaporizer is not recommended, because a child can scald themselves if they get to close to the heated air flow. An ultrasonic room humidifier, which should never be placed at the bedside, does add moisture to a room, but not in concentrations high enough to help relieve croup coughs or labored breathing.

    Buying A Humidifier

    • You can find cool-mist humidifiers at drug stores and discount department stores. Most include manufacturer recommendations based on a room's size. Expect to pay between $20 and $60.

    Humidifier Care

    • Keep your humidifier clean to prevent mold spores from growing, which if inhaled can be dangerous. To keep yours mold-free, rinse it with lukewarm water and mild soap, and let the unit completely air dry before storing it away.

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