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Young parents care very much about their babies. Each disturbing symptom causes them anxiety and results in a quick visit to the pediatrician. Coughing in an infant is one of these situations. Coughing is usually the result of a respiratory infection. Remember, however, that an infant’s cough can be both wet and dry. How is it recognized and treated?
A cough in an infant keeps every parent awake at night. As soon as we hear this disturbing symptom, we quickly go to the pediatrician. There are many ways to cough. Check how you can treat a cough in an infant.
Cough in an infant – management
A cough in an infant is common and usually results from an infection of the upper respiratory tract. Typically, these infections are mild and move on quickly. Treatment of a cough in an infant is usually limited to observing the child’s condition and cleaning the nose from secretions that the toddler cannot cope with yet. In the treatment of cough in an infant, pediatricians also often recommend saline inhalations.
For inhalation use Neno brand nebulizers, which you can buy at Medonet Market. We recommend the Nebulizer – Neno Sente Compressor Inhaler or the Neno Bene Mobile Nebulizer.
However, if the infant’s cough does not go away, fever appears or the cough gets worse, then a visit to the pediatrician is necessary.
A long-lasting, tiring cough is dangerous for an infant and requires careful diagnosis. If an infant develops a high fever or shortness of breath along with the cough, see a doctor immediately. This often ends with a visit to the hospital.
When dealing with chronic cough in an infant, this should prompt parents to see a pediatrician, as it may be a symptom of serious diseases.
Cough in an infant – types
The cough in an infant can be divided into:
- wet cough in an infant – a wet cough in an infant is designed to clear the respiratory tract of residual secretions. A coughing infant coughs up the residual mucus. Such a cough in an infant is defined as wet, productive, expectorant. It is the result of a lower respiratory tract infection;
- dry cough in an infant – dry cough in infants is unproductive. It is the result of upper respiratory tract infections or chronic diseases in the body, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease. If a dry cough lasts up to 3 weeks, it is called a dry acute cough. A dry cough that lasts from 3 to 8 weeks is called subacute cough. On the other hand, a chronic dry cough is one that lasts more than 8 weeks.
Cough in babies – causes
The main cause of coughing in babies is respiratory infections. Typically, coughing occurs during a cold that is associated with an infection of the nose and throat, as well as a mild fever. In this case, the symptoms should disappear after about 7 days.
If the cough in an infant increases in the supine position, it will be caused by discharge from the nose or it is a symptom of pharyngitis, laryngitis (the cough is choking, even barking) and inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, i.e. bronchitis, bronchiolitis or pneumonia. When the lower respiratory tract is inflamed, the cough is productive and the discharge is audible, but the infant cannot cough it up on his own.
A cough in an infant is also a result of irritation of the respiratory tract (e.g. by cigarette smoke) or a foreign body getting into the respiratory tract.
Cough in a baby – medications
Infant cough medications are usually over-the-counter syrups, saline inhalations, and possibly fever medications. If the doctor deems it used, he may also prescribe inhalations with steroid drugs, which may also help to eliminate the cough. They have a relaxing effect on the bronchi.
If your cough is caused by a bacterial infection, you may need to take an antibiotic. Depending on the cause of the infant’s cough, oxygen therapy, steroids and even adrenaline may also be required.
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