Kids

💡TL;DR: Most kids with croup can spread the virus from about 1 day before symptoms start until around day 3 of illness. A steroid such as dexamethasone eases breathing within hours, but it does not shorten how long your child is contagious. Plan for home rest for about 3–

What Is Croup? Croup is a viral swelling of the upper airway around the voice box and windpipe. The narrowed airway causes a barking, seal-like cough. Kids can also make a harsh, high-pitched noise on the inhale called stridor. Croup usually starts like a cold, then gets louder at night.

💡TL;DR: Most kids with croup sound worse after bedtime because small airways, lying flat, drier cool air, and low nighttime cortisol stack up. Nights 1–2 are usually the worst; most cases improve in 3–5 days. Calm cuddles, steamy bathroom air, a few minutes of cool air, and

💡TL;DR: RSV and the common cold start the same, but RSV is more likely to move into the chest and cause wheezing or hard breathing, especially in babies and older adults. A simple cold usually stays milder in the nose and throat and improves in 5–7 days; RSV

💡TL;DR: Bronchitis affects the large airways and is common in older kids and adults, while bronchiolitis swells the tiny airways in babies and can cause hard, fast breathing. Bronchiolitis often peaks around days 3–4; acute bronchitis cough typically lasts about 1–3 weeks. Almost all children are infected

💡TL;DR: RSV symptoms usually start 4–6 days after exposure (range 2–8 days). You’re contagious for about 3–8 days and can spread it 1–2 days before symptoms; infants and people with weak immune systems may shed up to 3–4 weeks (CDC). Most illnesses last

💡TL;DR: A written, doctor-signed Asthma Action Plan is the safest way to manage asthma at school. Share it with the nurse, teachers, and coaches, and update it at least once a year or whenever medicines change. Yellow Zone usually means symptoms or peak flow around 50–79%; Red Zone

💡TL;DR: Breathing through your nose is the healthiest default because it filters, humidifies, and adds nitric oxide before air reaches your lungs. Mouth breathing is fine during hard exercise or when your nose is blocked, but as a habit it's linked to dry mouth, snoring, and poorer

💡TL;DR: Portable mesh nebulizers turn liquid medicine or sterile saline into a fine mist babies can breathe normally, without learning an inhaler technique. Most mesh treatments take about 5–10 minutes and the devices are very quiet, which helps keep infants calm. The main tradeoffs are getting a snug