Westley croup score

Paediatrics

Also known as: Westley-Croup-Score · Westley-Score (Pseudokrupp) · Westley krup skoru

What it is for

The Westley croup score (1978) grades the severity of croup (viral laryngotracheobronchitis) in children from five signs; total 0–17.

Category	Description
Level of consciousness	normal 0; disoriented 5.
Cyanosis	none 0; with agitation 4; at rest 5.
Stridor	none 0; with agitation 1; at rest 2.
Air entry	normal 0; decreased 1; markedly decreased 2.
Chest wall retractions	none 0; mild 1; moderate 2; severe 3.
Severity bands (commonly used)	2 or less mild; 3–5 moderate; 6–11 severe; 12–17 impending respiratory failure. Some sources use 3–7 moderate and 8–11 severe.

Nebulized racemic epinephrine by IPPB for the treatment of croup: a double-blind study

Am J Dis Child 1978;132:484–487 (Westley CR, Cotton EK, Brooks JG)

Edition: Westley 1978 (original items and points); severity bands as commonly used in later reviews
Checked on: 4 November 2026
Checked against: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5364577
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9247726
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12104051

Summary of the published classification in our own words. Not a substitute for the original publication.

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