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What is croup? Croup (laryngotracheobronchitis) is a respiratory infection that affects young children. Viral infections are the most common cause of the condition. Croup causes swelling of your child’s voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). This swelling causes the airway below their vocal cords to narrow, which makes their breathing noisy and difficult. Croup in babies is most common, along with children younger than 3 years old. As children get older, croup isn’t seen as often. This is because their windpipes get larger and swelling is less likely to get in the way of their breathing. Croup causes a distinctive cough that may sound similar to the call of a seal. The condition is usually mild but symptoms can become severe and life-threatening.