What kind of cough does my child have?
First, pay attention to how your child’s cough sounds. A distinction is made between:
- dry cough (irritating cough, unproductive cough)
- barking cough
- rattling, moist cough (productive cough)
- painful cough
Depending on the type of cough, certain conclusions can already be drawn about the possible cause:
- Barking, raspy cough in a toddler tends to indicate pseudocroup (especially if it occurs at night).
- Moist, rattling cough means that there is a lot of secretion in the airways, for example, due to a cold (later stage), bronchitis or pneumonia. Coughing up this secretion is very important. Otherwise, it can accumulate and hinder breathing. That is why you should not use a cough blocker when you have a wet, rattling cough.
How long does the cough last?
In most cases, cough lasts only a few days and then subsides. In the case of an acute upper respiratory tract infection with viruses, it can also take several weeks for the cough to disappear.
In rare cases, a heart defect can also lead to a chronic irritable cough.
What can be done about the cough?
In principle, coughing is a sign that the airways are irritated by mucus, pathogens or other foreign substances. The body wants to expel them by coughing. You can support the process in your child with the following measures:
- Your child should drink plenty of fluids (e.g. warm water, tea) to keep the airways moist.
- Herbal expectorant extracts (e.g., ivy-based) can facilitate expectoration. However, beware of preparations containing peppermint, menthol, camphor or eucalyptus: their essential oils can cause respiratory problems and even choking in children under the age of three, as they can irritate the respiratory tract and stimulate the production of mucus. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you on the right preparation for your child.
If your child coughs very hard and shows loud breathing sounds (stridor), you must immediately consult a pediatrician or a clinic. Also keep in mind that croup cough (pseudo-croup) can be dangerous because it can cause respiratory distress.
A sudden and abruptly severe cough in infants may indicate that your offspring has swallowed a foreign object. Take the child to a doctor or clinic immediately!
