Topic Overview

Epinephrine is a medicine that helps open swollen breathing tubes. 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.