Croup

[Leigh]

I have excluded for croup in the past. I just don't want it spreading around, considering that my own child has been hospitalized for it in the past. However, I'm seeing online that no medical authority seems to be recommending for exclusion for croup unless symptoms warrant it (too tired to participate or fever).

Who excludes for croup? I have a mom on her way to pick up right now because I KNOW this kid has it. I was googling to try to find a date that I'm comfortable with the kid returning, and I find that exclusion isn't even recommended! How long would you exclude for, if you do?

[mamamanda]

My son just got over it and the doctor told us he was fine to be with other dcks as long as he wasn't running a fever. The croup itself usually lasts 3-5 days. Maybe you could say 24 hours after starting medication? Typically it will be bad in the morning, clear up during the day, and get bad again in the evening so it's difficult to tell how sick they are just based on the symptoms itself. It's caused by a virus though so I don't know how they can say its not contagious even without a fever? Doesn't make sense to me.

[hope]

I dealt with this for the first time this year. Dcg had croup and I told them she was to be excluded while her cough was bad. Her doctor said she could return to care but the cough was so bad that she was not able to constantly cover her mouth. I wasn't willing to have her spread germs.

[AmyKidsCo]

Two of my six children had croup terribly when they were little. As I understand it, croup is like ear infections - the way a particular child's body handles a particular virus and not contagious in and of itself. The virus that causes croup (or ear infections) can be contagious, but croup itself isn't.

As long as the child can participate in activities, doesn't have any other symptoms (fever) and is breathing freely I'd let him come.

[VTMom]

Two of my six children had croup terribly when they were little. As I understand it, croup is like ear infections - the way a particular child's body handles a particular virus and not contagious in and of itself. The virus that causes croup (or ear infections) can be contagious, but croup itself isn't.

As long as the child can participate in activities, doesn't have any other symptoms (fever) and is breathing freely I'd let him come.

Same here.