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Croup is also known as laryngotracheitis, a medical term that describes the inflammation of the trachea (windpipe) and larynx. Parainfluenza viruses are the typical root cause of the infection, but influenza (flu) and cold viruses may sometimes be responsible.
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Print. Croup refers to an infection of the upper airway, which obstructs breathing and causes a characteristic barking cough. The cough and other symptoms of croup are the result of swelling around the vocal cords (larynx), windpipe (trachea) and bronchial tubes (bronchi). When a cough forces air through this narrowed passage, the swollen vocal cords produce a noise similar to a seal barking. Likewise, taking a breath often produces a high-pitched whistling sound (stridor). Croup typically occurs in younger children.