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Croup — Features Suggestive of Alternative Diagnoses — Clinical Pathway: Emergency Department and Inpatient

Croup Clinical Pathway — Emergency Department and Inpatient

Features Suggestive of Alternative Diagnoses

  • Age < 6 mos or > 6 yrs
  • Toxic appearance or altered mental status
  • Poor response to treatment
  • Duration of stridor > 4 days or cough > 10 days
  • Intubation in past 6 mos
  • Prolonged intubation
  • Recurrent croup
    • Second episode of croup within 30 days
    • > 3 episodes in the past 12 mos
  • Drooling, difficulty swallowing
  • Asymmetry of respiratory exam
  • Absence of upper respiratory prodrome

Alternative Diagnoses

  • Aspirated foreign body
  • Bacterial tracheitis
  • Subglottic stenosis
  • Epiglottitis
  • Laryngomalacia
  • Anaphylaxis

Further Evaluation

 

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