At What Point You Should WOrry About Baby Cough?
Going by the health statistics, you will find fever and cough as the most prevalent condition during winter. While we may already understand what fever is, it is good to understand that cough is a good companion of fever. As it were, many things can lead to cough and let’s begin by looking at baby cough when to worry.
During winter, children are more exposed to conditions that could result in a cough.
As such, it becomes a worry for parents considering that cough may indicate something life-threatening.
Coughs are known to last for long causing a lot of distress to not only the kid but the parent, friends, teachers, and classmates as well.
Cough - What Is It?
Cough is mostly triggered by foreign bodies within the airways beneath the vocal cords.
Normally, the upper airway commences right at the nose (back) moving downwards the vocal cords.
On its part, the lower airway comprises of the trachea, the left and right bronchus leading to each lung, bronchioles (small tubes in the lungs) and finally, the air sacks.
Attributing to the logic that the airways are specifically for air, anything that isn’t air including mucous finding its way into the lower air is expelled with immediate effect.
In this case, coughs do occur as a result of a foreign element within the airway.
In children, this is mostly attributed to the post nasal drip; mucous from the upper way finds its way into the lower airway.
But, it is always good to make out the difference between the coughs attributed to the upper and lower airways.
Causes Of Cough In Children
While there may be an endless list of causes of cough, it is always good to understand the actual reason behind your 2-month-old baby coughing and sneezing no fever.
As it were, it will require and a thorough record and physical analysis for your doctor to establish what the cause may be.
At times it may prompt taking an x-ray. This is essentially critical when it comes to establishing the kind of cough your baby is suffering from.
In most cases, the type of cough is determined by the sound associated with it. Check below:
Common Cold
These are viral related conditions causing excessive mucous release within the upper airway.
Thus, the cough is a result of postnasal mucous dripping.
While colds may take approximately 10 days to subside, they can take longer than that and that is the moment baby cough when to worry for any parent.
Influenza (Flu)
This is a painful viral condition accompanied by fever, fatigue, body pains, sore throat, headache, and cough.
As compared to colds, in flu, there is normally a low level of mucous production within the upper airway.
Viral Cough
More or less the same as a cold, though with a viral infection within the lower airways.
As for this condition, the victim is unlikely to exhibit runny or blocked as it is typical in colds. The cough may take several weeks to disappear.
Pneumonia
This is the most dreaded type of cough. It doesn’t present itself at the beginning of a cold or cough attributed to its being a secondary cold viral infection.
This is mainly because the sticky atmosphere created by the cold virus is an ideal place for the bacteria to bloom.
Thus, the illness and pus produced pack up the air sacks leading to breathing problems as well as high fever.
Baby cough when to worry is actually when you notice breathing difficulties in your baby and this calls for immediate medical attention.
Well, it is important to understand that not all pneumonia associated issues can be handled by antibiotics as others are viral related.
Teens and older babies may also contract walking pneumonia from the Mycoplasma bacteria.
Thus, you will need to contact your child’s Pediatrician for an x-ray to establish whether your baby is suffering from pneumonia and the type.
“Sometimes you will find your baby coughing at night only so you wonder what the problem may be. There is no point in guessing as that could mean your child is developing asthma or something else. The doctor is well-placed to provide the best advice. Baby coughing and vomiting at night is also a situation worthy of worrying about. Take immediate action to help your baby if you witness any of these symptoms.”
Bottom Line
Generally, when you see your baby coughing without showing any signs of strained breathing and have been to their routine medical checkups, there is no cause to get worried.
However, baby cough when to worry is upon realizing that the child is having problems with breasting and this is when you should immediately contact the doctor.
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