[Stained]

DS1 has croup and I have been trying to read about it but am just confusing myself! Is croup an actual virus or is it caused by other viruses?? The past couple of days when we have been out an about because he wasnt sick at all have we been spreading around croup or a cold which has the potential to become croup (as it has in DS's case)
My 11 month old, who has a runny nose and was up most of the night being a crank, does he have croup but is yet to develop the cough or does he have a cold that given the right/wrong circumstances could become croup???
TIA, I don't understand why this info is so difficult to find a clear answer on!

[MrsW87]

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but I was told croup itself is not contagious as its not a virus as such but a symptom that happens from a virus, or from them getting sick. Every time DS1 has had croup he has never spread it, not even to DS2 when he has been coughing near him.

[Mamabear2010]

This is what I found out about from the Better Health website, which I find helpful. Here's the link:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/b...Croup_in_detail

It says croup is caused by an infection to the throat and windpipe that is caused by a virus. From what I understand, the child catches a virus and croup is like a secondary infection caused by the virus. So, the virus is contagious but not all children who pick up the virus will develop croup.

In fact, the link above says:
The viruses that cause croup are very similar to those of the common cold. They start to be infectious with the first signs, such as a runny nose and cough, and remain infectious for up to five days. Only about one in 10 children who get these viruses will develop croup.

Hope this helps and your little one gets better quickly.