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Symptoms
Barking cough

Barking cough

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A barking cough is a symptom in which a child's cough sounds like a seal's barking. It is called croup and is usually caused by a viral infection in the larynx (voice box area). Adults with similar viral infections don't cough the barking sound because adults have larger voice boxes.

Dr. Keegan Duchicela reviewed this

16 year experience in family medicine

How long it usually lasts:

Medium-term (lasts weeks to months)

How common it is:

Common

Body locations

Neck (front), Mouth, Chest

Is Symptom of

Croup
Condition
Hay fever
Allergy
Common cold
Condition
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
Condition
Upper respiratory infection
Condition
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Related questions

A 56-year old asked:

What is barking cough? What causes it?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 35-year old asked:

What to do if I have a barking cough after travelling to a country?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 41-year old asked:

Can you tell me about having a barking cough after travelling to a country?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old asked:

Please explain why does my 2 year old have a dry barking cough every other morning?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 25-year old male asked:

I am 25 years old. I do not smoke. I have had a barking cough (sounds similar to a seal) for about two weeks now. ?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 30-year old female asked about a male:

My son has a barking cough and is wheezing worse at night than during the day he has a slight temp and isn't eating much what can I do to help him?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 30-year old female asked about a male:

Has had a temp of over 39'c since 3pm yesterday and it doesn't seem to be coming down after paracetamol and ibrufen. He has a nasty barking cough?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old female asked:

I have a severe barking cough and back pain, which I think is my lungs, any idea what it could be?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 37-year old female asked:

Have histoplasmosis and have a barking cough coughing up green mucous and red tinted mucous.Had bronchoscopy 4 days ago?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 34-year old female asked:

Taking salbutamol 2 puffs every 4 hrs for 3 days....Can i take it more often? Very heavy feeling in chest and barking cough with lots of mucous

1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in

A 33-year old female asked:

For a few months my chest Weezes when exhaling completely. I have a lingering barking cough too. when running I feel out of breathe although im fit?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

I have had a severe deep barking cough with yellow mucus for three weeks now, it started when some started smoking around me. Having trouble breahting?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old male asked about a female:

My Daughter had tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy four days ago. Since then, she is experiencing like a constant barking cough that is keeping her awake at night along with the pain from the surgery. What can we do to help with this barking cough?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 22-year old female asked about a male:

Son has a barking cough. This would be 4th time with croup. Should I contact pediatrician again if there's no fever and isn't turning blue?

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old female asked:

I have a dry barking cough. Only when I cough, I notice a bad smelly "taste" afterwards. What could it be? I don't have a fever or stuffy nose.

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old female asked:

Palpable pulse suprasternal notch. 21f overweight. Could this be the cause of my unresolved GERD and recurring barking cough that no one can seem fix?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 21-year old female asked:

On dulera (formoterol and mometasone) qnasl Dexilant claritin. No relief of barking cough. Comes and goes. No one can figure this out. Please help! i've tried it all!

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 28-year old female asked:

My 4mo baby had a cold in August which went away for a few days. He is sick again but sounds worse. His nose is still congested and his coughing sounds terrible. Its a wet barking cough which looks like it hurts and wakes him up and he cries?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 23-year old asked:

My 2 year old has barking cough and runny nose should he be seen?

2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old asked:

My 5 year old son has a barking cough and is vomitting. Is this just a virus or should I take him to the peds tomorrow? No fever.

4 doctor answers • 13 doctors weighed in

A 21-year old female asked:

Cyclic barking cough occurs every 3-4 weeks. Diagnosed with asthma and allergies. Meds don't help. Only thing that takes it away is prednisone. Help!

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 37-year old male asked about a female:

Daughter had tonsillectomy & adenoidectomy days ago, has had constant barking cough since then and cough gets worse at night. She's taking cefdinir & hydroco/apap already. Can we give her something for this cough? Don't want to overmedicate her.

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 40-year old female asked:

My 4+ daughter has barking cough.she gets this 6-7 times in a year and it stays for 10-12 days. this time she's breathing so deeply that her tummy movement is visible.please suggest till which age kid gets this cough and how it can be avoided. Thnx?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A member asked:

My son woke up with a barking cough Thursday night so we took him to the doctor Friday where he was diagnosed with croup. It is now Tuesday night and he still has fever. Peds said to come back in on Wednesday if he still had fever then. What is the next s

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 61-year old female asked:

Cold has hung on for a couple of weeks,now includes burning chest pain. Constant barking cough. No fever. Should I wait it out or see a doctor?

2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

A 34-year old female asked:

Can asthmatics take OTC cough syrup? Barking cough for 6wks lots of phlegm. 10 days antibiotics and 4 days steroids helped briefly but getting worse

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 25-year old female asked:

2 chest infections, dec & feb. Now have a 'barking' cough that keeps coming back sounds exactly like infection cough. Chest X-ray is clear. What to do?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 20-year old female asked:

Severe bloody/barking cough, extreme abdominal and lower back pain. Pass urine when cough. Sleepless nights.

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

A 36-year old female asked about a female:

Near the end of antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia. Brother has chest infection and now she has a barking cough. Part of recovery ?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 32-year old female asked:

Have had barking cough for 3 weeks, no fever, ribs hurt bad from coughing, thick mucous I can't cough up. Now lost voice and was in fire 30 days ago.

1 doctor answer • 5 doctors weighed in

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