When Stridor is Not Croup: A Case Report

Background: Croup is one of the most common causes of acute respiratory disorder in children. It presents as acute laryngeal symptoms in the context of viral infec-tion. Treatment consists of systemic steroids and aerosolized adrenaline, after which the symptoms must resolve rapidly. There are many differential diagnoses, including neurologi-cal causes. In these cases, clinical presentation is atypical and the outcome can be less favorable. Case Report: We present the cases of three children who presented with stridor, which was initially treated as croup but eventually turned out to have a neurological origin. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?: Clinicians need to be aware of the differential diagnoses of croup. We suggest a few key points to help emergency physicians manage these patients, including adequate use of monitoring and nasofibroscopy. Early identification is a key element in the effective manage-ment of certain rapidly progressive neurological diseases. (c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.