Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Jared Scott MD Educational Pearls: Croup is a respiratory condition typically caused by a viral infection (e.g., parainfluenza). The disease is characterized by inflammation of the larynx and trachea, which often leads to a distinctive barking cough. A common treatment for croup is the powerful steroid dexamethasone, but it can take up to 30 minutes to start working. A folk remedy for croup is to take the afflicted child outside in the cold to help them breathe better, but does it really work? A 2023 study in Switzerland, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, investigated whether a 30-minute exposure to outdoor cold air could improve mild to moderate croup symptoms before the onset of steroid effects. The randomized controlled trial included children aged 3 months to 10 years with croup. After receiving a single-dose oral dexamethasone, participants were exposed to either outdoor cold air or indoor room air. The primary outcome was a decrease in the Westley Croup Score (WCS) by at l