Croup

How is croup diagnosed?

In addition to a complete medical history and physical examination, your child’s doctor may also order:

• neck and chest x-rays- a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of your child’s internal tissues, bones and organs onto film.
• blood tests
• pulse oximetry- an oximeter is a small machine that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. A small sensor (like a Band-Aid) is taped onto your child’s finger or toe. When the machine is on, a small red light can be seen in the sensor. The sensor is painless and the red light does not get hot.