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Parent’s Guide

Parent’s Guide: Cough in Babies (0–12 Months)

The Big Picture: A cough is a reflex. It is your baby's way of protecting their lungs and clearing out germs or mucus. While the sound is heartbreaking, most coughs are caused by normal viruses and help the body heal.
Important Rule: Do not give over-the-counter cough or cold medicines to babies. They are not safe for this age group and can cause serious side effects.

1

🚨 When to Get Help

Before treating the cough, strip your baby down to their diaper and watch their chest for “Respiratory Distress.”

Call 911 Now

  • Severe Struggle: Baby is struggling for each breath or can barely cry.
  • Color Change: Lips or face turn blue when the baby is not coughing.
  • Consciousness: Baby has passed out or stopped breathing.

Call Doctor Now or Go to ER

  • Noisy Breathing:
  • Retractions: The ribs pull in with each breath.
  • Fast Breathing: Breathing is much faster than normal.
  • Appearance: Baby’s lips turn blue during a coughing fit.
  • Dehydration: No wet diaper in 8 hours, dry mouth, or no tears when crying.
  • Age/Fever:
    • Any fever (>100.4°F) in a baby less than 12 weeks old.
    • High fever (>104°F) in any age.
  • The Cough: Nonstop coughing spells/fits.

Contact in 24hrs

  • Age: Baby is less than 6 months old (even with a mild cough).
  • Ear: Suspected earache or drainage.
  • Fever: Lasts more than 3 days.
2

🔍 What Caused This?

  • Common Cold (Viral Bronchitis): The most common cause. The “bronchi” (lower airways) get irritated by a virus. Antibiotics do not help this.
  • Irritants: Tobacco smoke, paint fumes, or smog.
  • Serious Causes: Croup, Pneumonia, Bronchiolitis, or Whooping Cough. (These usually come with other symptoms like high fever or specific breathing sounds).
3

🏠 Home Care: Comforting Your Baby

Since you cannot give cough medicine, “medicine” for a baby is hydration and humidity.

1. Hydration is Key

  • The Goal: Keep the mucus thin so it is easier to cough up.
  • Action: Offer breastmilk or formula more often. You may need to feed smaller amounts more frequently.

2. Steam Treatment (Warm Mist)

  • If the cough is “barky” or tight, run a hot shower in the bathroom with the door closed.
  • Sit in the steamy room with your baby for 10-15 minutes. This relaxes the airway.

3. Humidifier

  • Dry air makes coughs worse. Run a cool-mist humidifier in the baby’s room.

4. Handling Vomiting

  • Babies often vomit after a hard coughing fit because they have a strong gag reflex and a full stomach.
  • Action: Feed smaller amounts more often. A full stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm and triggers vomiting during a cough.

5. Manage Fever

  • Fevers help fight the infection, but if your baby is miserable and over 6 months old, you can use Ibuprofen. If under 6 months, consult your doctor about Tylenol.
  • Note: Do not give Ibuprofen to babies under 6 months.
4

⛔ What NOT to Do

  • NO Honey: Never give honey to a child under 1 year (risk of Botulism).
  • NO Cough Syrup: Do not use drugstore cough meds. They don’t stop the cough and can be dangerous.
  • NO Smoking: Do not allow anyone to smoke around the baby. Smoke stays on clothes and irritates tiny lungs.
5

⏳ What to Expect

  • Duration: Viral coughs typically last 2 to 4 weeks.
  • Antibiotics: Since most coughs are viral, antibiotics will not help unless the doctor finds an ear infection or pneumonia.
  • Daycare: Generally, if the fever is gone and the child acts happy, they can return to childcare (coughing may persist, but spreads less as time goes on).

Medically Reviewed by Dr Michael Villadelgado
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you use it. If you are unsure, always call your doctor.