One of the ways to relieve a baby’s cough is to make him stand or sit on his parents’ legs so that his head is higher, since in this position it helps the baby to breathe better. Another way to reduce cough is to give small amounts of water to reduce throat irritation.
However, if the baby has fever, difficulty breathing or cough accompanied by vomiting, it is important to take him to the pediatrician, who will perform a complete evaluation and may recommend the use of some medications such as antibiotics, corticosteroids or anti-allergy medications, depending on which one. be the cause.
Cough is a very common symptom in babies and occurs as the body’s defense mechanism to try to expel some food or secretion, which is why it can be accompanied by vomiting food or simply mucus. Additionally, cough in the baby can occur in cases of cold, bronchitis, asthma or rhinitis.
Also read: Dry cough in babies: 8 causes and what to do tuasaude.com/es/dry-cough-in-babies
Main home remedies
Some tips and home remedies to relieve a baby’s cough are:
1. Give 1 teaspoon of honey (children over 2 years old)
In the case of babies over 2 years old, it is possible to give them 1 teaspoon of coffee, that is, 2.5 mL of honey before bed, as honey helps hydrate the throat and relieve cough, in addition to having properties antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory. See other home remedies for colds in babies.
2. Give small amounts of water throughout the day
It is important to constantly give the baby water to drink, if the baby is over 6 months old, breastfeed on demand or give the baby formula at room temperature to reduce throat irritation, if the baby is younger. However, water should only be given when you do not have a cough to prevent choking or vomiting.
3. Place saline solution in the baby’s nose
When the baby has a stuffy nose, it is important to place a few drops of saline solution in the nose to help clear it and eliminate excess secretions, which in turn will help relieve coughing. It is also possible to perform a nasal wash with a syringe. See how to perform nasal washing in babies.
4. Do inhalations with physiological saline
It is possible to perform nebulizations with physiological saline, if the device is available, to clean and hydrate the airways. These inhalations will help reduce irritation and prevent coughing.
5. Give the baby a warm bath with the bathroom door closed
The steam from the warm bath helps keep the airways hydrated, loosens secretions (making it easier to escape) and relieves cough.
6. Use a humidifier
It is possible to use a humidifier in cases where you feel that the air in the house is very dry, this will help keep the airways hydrated and improve cough.
7. Raise the head of the bed
At night, place some folded towels under the mattress or a pillow to raise the head of the crib or bed a little, as this way the airways will be free and the reflux will decrease, relieving the baby’s cough.
Pharmacy medications
The use of medications should be indicated by the pediatrician when the cough is caused by more complicated situations, such as rhinitis, pneumonia or asthma.
In this way, the pediatrician can prescribe some medications such as antiallergics, antibiotics, decongestants or expectorants, in which the time of use and the dose will vary according to the age and general state of health of the baby and the cause of the cough. See some pharmacy syrups for cough with phlegm in children.
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Literature
- GOLDMAN Ran. Honey for treatment of cough in children. Canadian Family Physician. 60. 1107-1110, 2014
- QASIM Mohamed. The therapeutic role of honey for treating acute cough in the pediatric population. A systematic review. Journal of Pediatric and Neonatal Individualized Medicine. 2. 8; 1-6, 2019
- SHIELDS, D, Michael; DOHERTY, M, Gary. Chronic cough in children. Pediatric Respiratory Reviews. Vol.14. 2.ed; 100-105, 2013
- YANG, Michele; SO, Tsz-Yin. Revisiting the Safety of Over-the-Counter Cough and Cold Medications in the Pediatric Population. Clinical Pediatrics. Vol.53. 4.ed; 326-330, 2014
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PORTUGUESE SOCIETY OF PEDIATRICS. Common causes and other problems: cough. Available in:
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BRAZILIAN PEDIATRICS SOCIETY. Tosse. Available in:
- MARTINS, Susana et al. Tosse in pediatrics. Portuguese Journal of Pneumology. Vol.14. 4.ed; 517-526, 2008