A Baby That Is Coughing & Congested
When your baby is sick with the flu or the common cold, coughing may keep her -- and you -- up all night. If your child's pediatrician approves, use natural remedies and at-home care to soothe cough symptoms 1. In rare cases a cough might be the sign of a more serious illness, like bronchitis or pneumonia.
When your baby is sick with the flu or the common cold, coughing may keep her -- and you -- up all night. If your child's pediatrician approves, use natural remedies and at-home care to soothe cough symptoms 1. In rare cases a cough might be the sign of a more serious illness, like bronchitis or pneumonia. Take your child to her pediatrician to rule out any serious complications.
Causes
A coughing, congested baby is generally not cause for concern, but it could be. Usually, a cough is caused by a cold or the flu, but it might also be caused by croup, Respiratory syncytial virus, sinusitis, pneumonia, allergies, cystic fibrosis or whooping cough. If your child is 3 months old or younger, call your pediatrician immediately. Otherwise, call the doctor if your child's cough symptoms haven't improved within one week.
Home Remedies
If your child's cough is caused by a cold or the flu, soothe it with home remedies 1. Run a humidifier in your baby's bedroom while he sleeps to add extra moisture to the air. As your child breathes, he inhales the water vapor, moistening the vocal folds and preventing coughing at night.
Ensure your child gets proper fluids by continuing to breastfeed, if you already do. It it not necessary to give your baby additional fluids unless your doctor recommends it, but monitor the liquids he does drink so he gets adequate nutrition.
Prescription Treatments
Although a cold and flu will typically go away on its own, other diseases such as:
- croup
- pneumonia
- bronchitis
- whooping cough
- respiratory syncytial virus
- pneumonia
- sinusitis
- allergies
- cystic fibrosis require prescription medication or antibiotics
- depending on the illness
Warnings
Do not give your baby over-the-counter cough medicine. Most cough medicines are not approved for use in children under the age of 4.Consult your baby's doctor before using any prescription treatment to treat your child's cough.
Clean your baby's humidifier every night as detailed on the manufacturer's instructions. Do not leave any standing water in the device when it is not in use. Humidifiers are a useful way to release additional water vapor into the air, but it could harbor dangerous bacteria if it isn't cleaned properly.
Related Articles
- Normal Body Temperature for Infants
- Is Vick's Vapor Rub OK to Use While Pregnant?
- What to Do When a Two Month Old Has a Cough
- How to Help a Baby Recover From RSV
- Peppermint for Baby Colic
- Nasal Congestion & Vomiting in Babies
- Toddler Coughing and Skin Peeling on Fingers and Toes
- How Much Tylenol for a 2 Month Old?
- How to Stop a Nighttime Cough so Your Child Can Sleep
- What Are the Dangers of Using a Bulb Syringe on a Newborn?
- A Cough Remedy for a Seven-Month-Old
- How to Know if a Formula Is Upsetting Your Baby's Stomach
- Remedies to Cut the Phlegm in My Baby's Throat
- How to Get Rid of a Fever, Bad Breath & No Appetite in a Toddler
- Why Does My Child Only Cough at Night?
- BabyCenter; Eleven Safe Home Remedies to Soothe Your Child's Cold and Flu Symptoms; Karen Miles
- "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies"; Deborah Tkac; 1990
- MayoClinic.com; Common Cold in Babies; October 2010
- BabyCenter; Coughing; April 2010
- Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images