For medicines give 1/2 teaspoon of high-vitamin cod liver oil per day, as the vitamin A content has been shown to help all viral infections. Give the homeopathic combination spongia/bryonia, 3 drops every hour while the child is awake.  This remedy often dramatically cuts the severity of the croup.
Then give a natural form of vitamin C or liposomal vitamin C about 250 mg every 2 hours while awake.
Continue these medicines until the whole illness is resolved.
For bad episodes, particularly on the 1st night, go into the bathroom with the child, close the door, stopper the tub and let the hottest shower run until the room is steamy.
Let the child breath in the steam air for 5-10 minutes for bad croup episodes.
The alternative is to simply take the child (dressed up of course) briefly out into the cold night air.
For some reason, this often dramatically breaks an acute episode.
If the weather outside is warm, open the freezer door & let the child breath in the cold air.
Occasionally parents alternate these 2 treatments with good effect.
Cucumber is believed to eliminate lung phlegm.  D S Khalsa MD Food as Medicine  www.drdharma.com -