Essay On Croup

Croup is a disease that affects the larynx and the trachea and makes them become inflamed. The larynx and the trachea are vital parts of the repertory system and without them we wouldn’t be alive and breathing. The larynx is found in the repertory tract and is connected to the pharynx, it is a tough movable piece of tissue. The larynx also contains the voice box with the vocal cords which allow us to speak and sing. One of the larynx’s main purposes is to control what goes into and out of the body. Such as letting air in but not letting food or water go down and cause blockages or choking in the air pipes. The trachea is an empty tube that connects the larynx to the bronchi. The trachea is how the body caries air from the neck where it begins down into the bronchi.
Croup is an easily spread bacterial
virus which affects children from the age of six months to around six years and usually lasts up to four or five days. It effects the voice box and in turn causes some side effects, such as the swelling of the voice box or larynx and trachea, causing the affected patient to have coughing fits and find it extremely hard to breath. The swelling occurs due to the infection which is highly contagious.
Because this disease is highly contagious it is usually contracted during close contact or when food or liquids are being shared. There is no specific cure for croup, it is a disease that’s best cure is rest and recuperation. In bad cases patients may need assistance from the hospital and may need to be treated with hormones to help them breath. But the most common cure for less violent attacks is rest and time as the human body does all the work to heal itself.
To best prevent croup, there are many common deterrence’s that are simple but are extremely effective. these preventions methods, include making sure that children wash their hands toughly, that they are staying away from other affected or sick children and make sure that they have all of them current vaccinations. These simple principles will not completely erase the chances of children contracting croup. but are proven methods to discourage it and are necessary for healthy happy children in general.
Between 2009 and 2010 the rate of children contracting croup was shown to vary greatly based mainly on age.
In the age group between ten and fourteen the virus was extremely rare. Whereas, between the age of one and four the study showed that in every one hundred cases there was a ratio of 1.9, proving very clearly that this age group was the most likely to contract the disease. However, even though between the ages of one and four the virus is very common, children all the way up to the age of six tend to be prone to contracting the disease. clearly showing that you can never be too careful in protecting children from croup.
Croup is not a fatal disease, there are very few extreme cases of croup which resulted in death. This is mainly due to our modern doctors and technology, and our great wealth of knowledge. Most children will be out of action for up to four or five days recovering and resting. but there are no lasting effects from croup, it doesn’t shorten your life span or affect life after the recovery period. Even though there are no lasting effects on the lives of the affected children. It is still a very nasty virus that will cause children great
discomfort.
In conclusion, croup is a viral infection that usually affects children up to the age of six and doesn’t have any long-term effect, on their potential to live a full life. There are many simple prevention methods for croup and the best cure is rest and recuperation. It is a very painful virus but is not life threatening. If there are any further questions you can talk to a general practitioner or look on the royal children’s hospital, kids health page.