Abstract
Introduction:
Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is a common upper respiratory infection in children aged 3 months to 3 years and its classic clinical table characterized by a harsh, barking cough, hoarseness and stridor is generally frightening for the parents.
Aims and objectives:
The aim was to explore disease related anxiety of parents of children with croup syndrome and to investigate the views of families on managing croup in primary care settings.
Methods:
Parents of 11 children with croup syndrome were interviewed just after acute symptomatic treatment of the children in the emergency room. The conversations were especially focused on satisfaction of the parents with the treatment (content of the therapy, information provided etc); their opinion on the possibility of managing such cases in primary care settings; and their fears about development of a serious illness like asthma in the future.
Results:
The cases (9 boys, 2 girls) were 9 to 25 months of age. The parents of 6 children who had experienced similar attacks before were less worried about acute treatment procedure than first-time visiting parents. The most significant cause of parental anxiety was the risk for development of a serious disease like asthma in the future and no information was provided by the doctors on this issue. All the parents but one believed that croup attacks were indicators of upcoming diseases. They all believed that such attacks could be managed in primary care settings, even at home by a professional, for example a family physician. Such an approach is also supposed to provide opportunity of talking on disease related concerns of the parents and decrease parental anxiety.
Conclusion:
Parental anxiety about the treatment of croup attacks seems decreasing in recurrent cases. But the anxiety about the future course of the disease remains even in experienced families. Better communication skills with the parents and more explanation about the disease seem to be the key points to relieve parental anxiety.
Conflict of interest and funding
None.
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