Croup
Also known as: Acute obstructive laryngitis or epiglottitis, unspecified · Spasmodic croup · Viral croup
General information only. Anpheros does not diagnose and does not recommend treatment. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist about your situation. In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number).
In short
Croup is an inflammation of the vocal cords and windpipe that causes difficulty breathing, a barking cough, and a hoarse voice. The condition is usually caused by a virus, such as the parainfluenza virus, but other causes include allergies and reflux. Symptoms often start like a cold, can include a fever and high-pitched noisy breathing, and are typically worse at night. Children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years have the highest risk of getting croup and may experience more severe symptoms. The cited source also associates croup with a cough.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. · Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
Description
Croup is an inflammation of the vocal cords (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). It causes difficulty breathing, a barking cough, and a hoarse voice. The cause is usually a virus, often parainfluenza virus. Other causes include allergies and reflux.
Croup often starts out like a cold. But then the vocal cords and windpipe become swollen, causing the hoarseness and the cough. There may also be a fever and high-pitched noisy sounds when breathing. The symptoms are usually worse at night, and last for about three to five days.
Children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years have the highest risk of getting croup. They may also have more severe symptoms. Croup is more common in the fall and winter.
Most cases of viral croup are mild and can be treated at home. Rarely, croup can become serious and interfere with your child's breathing. If you are worried about your child's breathing, call your health care provider right away.
Related terms in the cited sources
May be associated with
- Cough Symptom
In alphabetical order.
Next to it in ICD-10
- J02Acute pharyngitis (sore throat)
- J03Acute tonsillitis, unspecified
- J04Acute laryngitis
- J06Upper respiratory tract infection
- J09Bird flu or pandemic influenza
- J10Seasonal flu (virus identified)
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Croup?
J05 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Croup?
CA06.Z: Acute obstructive laryngitis or epiglottitis, unspecified (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
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What people report. Figures marked "reported by Anpheros users" are anonymous counts from at least 20 people who agreed to share them. They show what people report, not what works, and they are not clinical evidence.
Links between terms. "May be associated with" means the link appears in a cited source. It does not mean you have that condition.
In an emergency, call 112 (or your local emergency number). Do not delay seeking medical help because of something you read here.