Symptoms

The cough is, as I said, a symptom in itself. However, it can be accompanied by other (disease-specific) symptoms, depending on what caused it.With the (pseudo) croup, the cough sounds quite characteristically “barking”, it can however also be dry (with allergies and asthma), moist (in the course of a respiratory tract infection) or rattling. Accompanying any kind of coughing, vomiting can occur, especially in babies, because the closing mechanism of the stomach is not yet fully developed and stomach contents can be pressed upwards by the coughing impulses.

In addition, a prolonged cough is extremely exhausting for small children, which quickly causes them to show signs of exhaustion. As soon as the cough leads to significant breathing difficulties, is accompanied by fever (indication of pneumonia), bloody sputum, strongly altered behavior and reduced general condition of the infant and/or cannot be controlled with home remedies, it is very important to consult a pediatrician quickly in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis and to be able to initiate specific therapy as soon as possible. When in doubt, it is better to see a doctor once too often than to overlook a serious illness!

In connection with coughing, the baby may also have a whistling or rattling sound when breathing. Depending on the time of the noise, different causes can be deduced. If the whistling occurs mainly during inhalation, it can be a so-called pseudocroup.

This is a narrowing of the airways above the larynx and should be observed. If the symptoms worsen, a doctor should be consulted. If a baby coughs and mucus comes out of the mouth, this is called a wet or productive cough.

This is often a sign of an inflammation of the lungs that has been going on for some time. This is often accompanied by a rise in temperature and rhinitis. If there is a suspicion of pneumonia in the baby, this should always be clarified by a doctor, as otherwise there could be dangerous consequences for the baby.