Cough in baby

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What is a cough?

Babies often cough. Coughing is a protective reflex. It transports inhaled particles (dust, milk or porridge residues, etc.) as well as mucus and secretions that collect in the airways to the outside.

However, a cough can also be a sign of illness. Usually these are infections of the upper airways. In rare cases, a cough can also be triggered by external pressure on the windpipe.

What cough does my baby have?

So there are different types of coughs that also sound different. Therefore, first pay attention to what your child's cough sounds like. One differentiates:

barking, dry cough
rattling, wet cough
Cough with shortness of breath (must be treated immediately!)

Depending on the sound of the cough, certain conclusions can be drawn about the cause that could be the basis of the cough.

Barking, dry cough often indicates pseudo croup - especially if it occurs at night and is associated with a whistling or hissing breath (stridor). This disease can be dangerous in young children, as the mucous membrane in the windpipe swells and this can cause shortness of breath. A dry cough can also occur at the beginning of colds, asthma or when breathing in a foreign body.
A damp, rattling cough means that a lot of secretion has collected in the airways. This should be coughed up. Cough blockers are not recommended here, as they prevent the mucus from being removed. It can then hinder the child's breathing. A wet cough is often caused by an infection: it usually appears in the later stages of colds, bronchitis, or pneumonia.

How long does the cough last?

In most cases, a cough lasts only a few days and then subsides again if it is not triggered by an infection. If the cough has not gone away after eight weeks, it is called chronic. Possible causes for this are, for example, asthmatic diseases, chronic bronchitis, chronic inflammation of the sinuses, pneumonia or whooping cough.

Constant inhalation of pollutants in the air such as cigarette smoke can also trigger a chronic cough. It is therefore advisable not to smoke in the nursery and, preferably, in the whole area around the baby!

What can you do about the cough?

In principle, a cough is a sign that the airways are irritated by mucus or pathogens, for example. Coughing is supposed to free the airways from the "irritants". You can help your child with the following measures:

Your baby should drink plenty of fluids to keep their airways moist.
Setting up a clothes horse with damp laundry in the child's room also helps because it humidifies the air. Alternatively, you can also hang some damp towels in the room. Electric humidifiers are less recommended because they can also spread pathogens.
Herbal expectorant extracts (e.g. ivy-based) can make it easier to expectorate. Preparations with menthol, camphor, eucalyptus or peppermint are not recommended for babies. The essential oils contained irritate the respiratory tract and in the worst case can lead to attacks of suffocation. Let the doctor or pharmacist advise you on the selection of suitable cough or cold preparations for your child.
Cough suppressant juices (for dry, irritating cough) can and should only be prescribed by a doctor. Although these juices suppress the urge to cough, they also prevent the bronchi from being cleaned and can sometimes even suppress the urge to breathe.

If your baby coughs for longer than one or two days, you should definitely see a pediatrician, even if there are no accompanying symptoms. The doctor may prescribe inhalation therapy for your baby or take other steps to relieve the cough. If your baby shows even slight signs of breathlessness when coughing (gray skin, audible "pulling" when breathing or even blue lips), you must go to the clinic or the pediatrician immediately!

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