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The doctor may give your child epinephrine medicine to help open swollen breathing tubes if your child has moderate to severe croup. Epinephrine is given through a nebulizer in a process called a breathing treatment.

One breathing treatment with epinephrine may be enough, but sometimes children with croup symptoms need a second treatment or a different medicine to take later at home. Children will be watched in the doctor's office or emergency department for several hours after getting a breathing treatment with epinephrine to be sure another treatment is not needed.