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The Daily Insight

How high does a fever get with croup?

Author

Emma Johnson

Updated on February 28, 2026

Difficulty breathing can develop and become worse during the 12 to 48 hours after congestion and barking cough begin. Most children develop a fever, which may range from mild (100.4°F or 38°C) to very high (104°F or 40.5°C).

When should I take my child to ER for fever and cough?

Always call your doctor if your child is coughing and:

  1. has trouble breathing or is working hard to breathe.
  2. is breathing faster than usual.
  3. has a blue or dusky color to the lips, face, or tongue.
  4. has a high fever (especially if your child is coughing but does NOT have a runny or stuffy nose)

When is croup an emergency?

If your child’s symptoms are severe, worsen or last longer than three to five days or aren’t responding to home treatment, contact your child’s doctor. Seek immediate medical attention if your child: Makes noisy, high-pitched breathing sounds both when inhaling and exhaling.

How do you know if croup is serious?

Severe croup can cause breathing difficulties in general but if your child’s skin “caves in” around their neck or ribs when they try to inhale, you should seek urgent medical treatment. Serious infections can also cause stridor , which is noisy breathing, often high-pitched, caused by the narrowing of the airway.

When should you take a baby to the emergency room for a fever?

Fever. If your baby is younger than 3 months old, contact the doctor for any fever. If your baby is 3 to 6 months old and has a temperature up to 102 F (38.9 C) and seems sick or has a temperature higher than 102 F (38.9 C), contact the doctor.

Why does my child have a barking cough with a fever?

Causes of the barking cough in a child with a fever. As clinical practice shows, the main causes of barking cough in a child with a temperature include an infectious disease whooping cough and an acute form of laryngeal inflammation-laryngitis.

How long does a barking cough last in babies?

The symptoms of barking cough in babies or croup lasts for about 3-5 days despite treatment started. Some common associated symptoms of barking cough are: Croup Cough: A child with croup will cough in manner that sounds like a dog barking. This cough is more prominent in the night and makes it hard for the baby to get the desired rest.

Does croup cause fever and barking cough in babies?

Fever: Fever is one of the symptoms along with barking cough in the babies suffering from croup. Irritability in Babies: If the baby has croup and is experiencing barking cough, then there is quite a chance that the baby does not get the desired rest; moreover the difficulty in the breathing makes the baby cranky and irritable.

What causes a fever of 103 in a child?

Standard culprits of childhood fevers include sinus infections, ear infections, bronchitis, sore throats and other cold or flu-like illnesses that affect your child’s respiratory system. Autoimmune disorders such as Crohn’s disease and cancers such as leukemia can also cause fevers of 103.5 degrees or greater. Home treatment reduces most fevers.