If you've searched the net for private medical insurance that covers croup then you are most likely for looking for established UK based health insurance companies that will cover croup.
Our advice when looking for health insurance that covers croup is to speak to a insurance broker. Health insurance is extremely complex and if you want complete certainty that croup is covered you should talk with a health insurance broker who can explain which providers will cover this medical condition and which will not.
There are many advantages to using a insurance broker but the biggest by far is that you're using their industry experience at no cost. They are paid by the insurer (Aviva or Bupa etc) rather than by you so it costs you no extra to use their services.
- Do you reside in many different areas? Some will give you a lower policy premium than offers. A insurance broker will be able to advise whats best.
- Do you have a hobby that may invalidate your insurance claim? A broker will know this critical information.
- If you are a couple and one of you has claimed on your policy this year would it be cheaper to separate you both onto two different insurance policies?
- You've developed a certain condition and want to know which insurer offers the largest amount of cover for it. A broker will know this instantly saving you huge amounts of time and effort.
You can call around every health insurance provider on the market and ask if they cover croup, however this will be a very time consuming process. Each insurer will ask for your medical history because its not normally a simple yes or not if a medical condition is covered or not.
Its much quicker to speak to one health insurance broker which will know which providers on the market cover croup and under what conditions they do or don't cover it.
Croup Information
Croup is a childhood condition that affects the windpipe (trachea), the airways to the lungs (the bronchi) and the voice box (larynx).
Children with croup have a distinctive barking cough and will make a harsh sound, known as stridor, when they breathe in.
They may also have a hoarse voice and find it difficult to breathe because their airway is blocked.
Croup can usually be diagnosed by a GP and treated at home.
Read more about the symptoms of croup and diagnosing croup
Commonly, croup is caused by a virus. Several viruses can cause croup but in most cases it is the parainfluenza virus.
Read more about the causes of croup
Croup usually affects young children aged between six months and three years, with most cases occurring in one-year-olds.
However, croup can sometimes develop in babies as young as three months, and older children up to 15 years of age. Adults can also get croup but this is rare.
The condition is more common during the late autumn and early winter months.
It tends to affect more boys than girls.
A child may experience croup more than once during childhood.
Most cases of croup are mild and can be treated at home. Sitting your child upright and comforting them if they are distressed is important, because crying may make symptoms worse. Your child should also drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
A single dose of an oral corticosteroid medication called dexamethasone or prednisolone will usually also be prescribed to help reduce the swelling in the throat.
If your child has breathing problems they may need hospital treatment, such as adrenaline and oxygen through a mask.