Coughing is a c ommon problem experienced by children or babies. This condition must make you confused and worried because your Little One cannot yet say what makes him/her sick. Because giving cough medicine should not be arbitrary, how to properly treat a baby's cough?
Check out the following tips and methods.
I. What Causes a Baby to Cough?
Did you know? Coughing is actually the body's natural way to remove foreign objects in the airway. Apparently, coughing has its benefits.
In general, there are two types of cough, wet cough (with phlegm) and dry cough. These two types of cough can occur due to various causes.
Coughing in babies is usually caused by the following:
1. Cold or Influenza
Colds or Influenza are the most common cause of coughing in babies. Colds tend to cause mild to moderate coughing.
Meanwhile, the flu is sometimes accompanied by a dry and severe cough, while croup cough usually leaves babies with a cough with phlegm, which is often worse at night.
2. Asthma
Babies with asthma also commonly experience coughing when the symptoms appear. In addition to coughing, asthma symptoms that appear in babies can include shortness of breath, wheezing, easy fatigue, the baby becoming cranky, and blue color appearing on the baby's skin and nails.
3. Allergy or Sinusitis
Causes of coughing in babies due to allergies or sinusitis can cause a persistent cough, as well as an itchy throat, runny nose, watery eyes, sore throat, or rash.
To find out the type of allergen that causes the baby to experience allergies, you need to visit the pediatrician. Usually, allergenic substances can be certain foods, pollen, pet dander, smoke, and dust.
4. Pertussis
Pertussis (whooping cough) is a serious condition that occurs due to infection of the Bordetella pertussis bacteria in the baby's respiratory tract.
In addition to a prolonged cough, pertussis is also characterized by breaths that make a high-pitched sound or wheezing. Other symptoms include fever and runny nose.
Whooping cough can be experienced by anyone. However, infants under 6 months, especially those who have not received the DPT vaccine, are generally more at risk of developing this condition.
5. Pneumonia
In addition to the above, pneumonia can also cause coughing in babies. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by bacteria or viruses. The cough experienced by your little one will usually cause more phlegm.
In addition, pneumonia in infants is also often accompanied by fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and feeling unusually tired.
Treating coughs in infants cannot be done carelessly. In fact, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recommend the use of over-the-counter drugs without a doctor's prescription as a way to relieve coughs and colds in children under 2 years old, because it can cause serious side effects.
The American Academy of Pediatrics mentions that if the cause of the cough is not a serious infection that requires medical treatment such as pneumonia or whooping cough, you can treat it naturally without drugs. How can you do this?
II. How o Treat Cough in Babies at Home?
Here are some easy and effective ways to treat cough in babies that you can do at home.
1. Continue Breastfeeding
The most important way to treat cough in babies without medication is to provide adequate fluid intake. This is because when a baby is coughing, he needs to drink more to help thin the phlegm and clear his throat.
If your little one is already receiving complementary food (or is 6 months old and above), breastfeeding can also be interspersed with small amounts of water.
In addition to breast milk and water, you can also give fruit juice and warm liquids, such as chicken soup, to soothe the throat and help thin the phlegm.
2. Elevate the Baby's Head While She is Sleeping
Overcoming coughing in infants can be done by elevating the head of your Little One while sleeping.
The position of sleeping on the back can make it difficult for the Little One who is coughing to breathe freely because the airway is blocked by mucus that flows back up.
To outsmart this, try supporting your child's head with two thin, soft pillows so that the position is slightly higher than their chest. That way, the mucus will remain in the lungs, preventing them from choking on phlegm. He/she can also breathe freely and sleep more comfortably.
3. Switch On The Humidifier
Mothers can also use a humidifier to help humidify the air as a natural way to treat coughing in babies.
Humidified air will keep the mucus in the airway moist and not dry. Thus, your little one can breathe more easily and comfortably, and reduce itching in the throat.
Choosing a cold steam humidifier is considered safer than one that produces warm steam. Don't forget to clean the humidifier regularly by changing the water and cleaning the device to prevent the growth of moss.
Besides using a humidifier, you can turn on a warm shower to relieve your baby's cough.
Wait for the bathroom temperature to warm up on its own. Then, sit your little one in a baby chair and let them inhale the warm steam to ease their breathing. Do this tip for 10-15 minutes.
4. Avoid Exposing Baby to Pollution
Nowadays, exposure to viruses and germs is everywhere. The more often we go out, the greater our exposure to viruses and germs. So, it's good if the baby starts coughing, you can limit taking your little one traveling outside the house.
Avoiding them from exposure to pollution, such as cigarette smoke and dirty air, can also help prevent the baby's cough from getting worse.
Here are some things that you can do to keep your babies away from irritants and air pollution:
- Not smoking around the baby or indoors.
- Clean the rugs by using a vacuum with a HEPA filter.
- Using a room air purifier that has a HEPA filter.
- Maintaining the air humidity level at home between 40-50 percent.
- Keeping pets away from the baby's sleeping area.
- Using antiallergenic sheets and pillowcases.
5. Use Saline Fluid
How to overcome cough in babies quickly can use the saline liquid. Saline is a nasal drop made from sterile salt water. Its function is to remove mucus in the baby's nose and throat.
To use it, firstly, you need to position the child's head slightly upwards. Then, drip 2-3 drops of saline solution into his/her nasal cavity with the help of a pipette.
Let it sit for about 30 seconds, then clean the baby's nose. Make sure you have read the packaging label to know the right dosage.
III. When Is The Right Time To Visit A Doctor?
Those are the various ways to relieve cough in babies that can be done at home. Actually, you don't need to worry too much when your baby is coughing.
However, you still need to be vigilant and should immediately take your little one to the doctor if he/she shows signs as below:
- The baby is under 3 months old and has had a persistent cough for several hours.
- Difficulty breathing.
- Breathing faster than usual.
- Bluish or blackish colored lips, face, or tongue.
- High fever, especially if the cough is not accompanied by a runny nose or nasal congestion.
- Fever in infants <3 months.
- Breath sounds when breathing or coughing.
- Coughing up blood.
- There is a noise when breathing in.
- Wheezing sound when exhaling.
- The baby appears weak, fussy, or restless.
- The baby shows signs of dehydration, such as dizziness, drowsiness, dry/sticky mouth, sunken eyes, crying with no or few tears, peeing less frequently or the mother changing the nappy less frequently.
If accompanied by these signs, the cough your baby is experiencing may indicate another condition that requires a doctor's care. Hopefully, this article will help and your little one will return to good health as soon as possible.