The barking cough parents should know about
Following the emergence of the Omicron variant, many doctors have raised concerns over another common symptom in young kids known as croup. Pediatricians reported that kids younger than 5 years old were getting infected with the new variant of COVID-19 and were coming down with a barking cough. Croup is an infection of the upper airways, which not only blocks breathing, but also triggers a distinctive barking sound. This occurs when a child's airway becomes inflamed and swollen, making it narrower than it usually is. Usually, it may be accompanied with fever, hoarseness, laboured or noisy breathing. While dry, persistent cough could be a sign of COVID-19, it could also be a symptom of a cold or flu, asthma, allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or could be caused by smoke. In this case, parents need to be aware of the associated symptoms. If the cough is accompanied by sneezing, red eyes, and a scratchy throat, it could be an allergy. Similarly, if your child's c