Rainy Season: Wear thick clothes to avoid croup infection, expert advises

Dr Clement Egbo, a medical practitioner with a private hospital in Benin, recommends wearing thick clothes to avoid croup infection, as the rainy season continues.

Egbo gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Wednesday.

He defined croup as a respiratory infection which makes the throat and the upper airways of the lungs to swell and become narrow.

He said, “it is also called laryngotracheobronchitis and common in children, but adults can also get it.”

He also advised a reduction in intake of cold substance to avoid infection.

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He also recommended the wearing of thick socks to protect the feet, noting that croup was commonly caused by a virus during the cold season and spread by breathing in germs from infected people when they cough or sneeze.

According to him, frequent washing of hands will help to prevent the spread of the disease.

He said “use soap and water, use gel hand cleaner when soap and water are not available, wash your hands after using the bathroom, after a cough or sneeze.

“Croup infection begins like a cold with cough, fever and runny nose and the symptoms usually remain mild during the first two to four days.”

He explained that after the first four days, symptoms could get worse especially at night.

Egbo said that some children appear to be particularly prone to croup and have a number of infections.

He added that “boys are more prone to the disease than girls, with peak seasonal outbreaks in late fall and winter.”

He said croup should be differentiated from more serious medical diagnoses, including acute epiglottitis, bacterial tracheitis, severe allergic reactions or an inhaled foreign body.

Egbo advised regular checkups to detect early infections.