What to Do When a Two Month Old Has a Cough
- Determine the Cause. Evaluate your baby’s symptoms to determine the cause of his cough. ...
- Relieve Symptoms. Squeeze a few drops of saline solution into your baby’s nose and then suction the mucus out with a bulb syringe.
- Call Your Baby's Doctor. Contact your pediatrician if your baby’s cough is accompanied by difficulty breathing, a fever, rapid breathing, extreme irritability, noisy or musical sounding breathing or wheezing.
- Prevent Reoccurrence. Because lack of sleep lowers the immune system and makes your child more susceptible to illness, make sure that your baby sleeps approximately 18 hours every day.
- Push fluids. ...
- Use saline drops. ...
- Try suction. ...
- Switch on a humidifier. ...
- Offer honey (for babies over age 1) ...
- Prop them up. ...
- Address irritants.
What should I do if my 2-month old has a cough?
In these cases, it's necessary to try slapping it on the back or chest a few times to help dislodge the object, and call an ambulance. A 2-month old with cough and congestion, or any baby under 4 months old who is having a cough, should get a visit scheduled with their pediatrician.
What can I give my 3 month old for a cough?
Age 3 months to 1 year: Give warm clear fluids to treat the cough. Examples are apple juice and lemonade. Amount: Use a dose of 1-3 teaspoons (5-15 ml).
When should I take my 2-month-old to the pediatrician for cough?
A 2-month old with cough and congestion, or any baby under 4 months old who is having a cough, should get a visit scheduled with their pediatrician. However, until it's time for the appointment, there are several ways to help relieve the baby's discomfort.
Is it safe to give a 4 year old cough medicine?
Cough and cold medicines Cough and cold medicines should not be given to children younger than age 4. There's no conclusive evidence of their safety and effectiveness in children.

Should I take my 2 month old to the doctor for a cough?
Call your doctor if your baby has: Any cough, and they're younger than 4 months. A dry cough related to a cold (a runny nose but no fever) that lasts more than five to seven days. A dry or wet cough with a cold and a fever of 100 degrees or more. Mild, light wheezing.
How do you treat a baby's cough?
It could be due to post-nasal drip from the back of your child's throat.Use saline nasal drops. You can buy these over-the-counter nasal drops at a pharmacy. ... Offer fluids. ... Offer honey. ... Elevate your child's head when sleeping. ... Add moisture with a humidifier. ... Talk a walk in cold air. ... Apply vapor rub. ... Use essential oils.
Can 2 month old baby get a cold?
A baby can catch a cold at any age or time of year. In fact, they may get as many as 8 to 10 a year in their first 2 years.
Is there Cough medicine for babies?
Cough and cold medications aren't safe for infants and young children. OTC cough and cold medicines don't treat the underlying cause of a child's cold and won't make it go away sooner ⸺ and they can be dangerous to your baby.
How to get rid of a cough in a baby?
This will help relieve a cough by thinning out trapped mucus and removing it from the nasal passages and throat. Elevate your baby’s crib by rolling up a few towels and placing them beneath the head of your infant’s mattress.
Why does my baby's cough not go away?
If the cough does not go away and is accompanied by mucus drainage, your baby more than likely suffers from allergies or asthma. Your baby may have respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, if his cough worsens over time or is accompanied by difficulty breathing. Croup sounds barky and tends to worsen at nighttime.
Why does my baby cough?
A cough accompanied by sneezing, a low-grade fever, itchy eyes and a runny nose sometimes signals a common cold. If the cough does not go away and is accompanied by mucus drainage, your baby more than likely suffers from allergies or asthma.
What does it mean when a baby coughs up blood?
Call for emergency services if your baby starts to cough up blood, shows signs of dehydration or has a dusky or blue tinge to his tongue, face or lips. These symptoms could be signs of a serious complication or illness such as pneumonia or whooping cough.
How to treat a dry cough?
Homemade Cough Medicine: Goal: Decrease the irritation or tickle in the throat that causes a dry cough. Age 3 months to 1 year: Give warm clear fluids to treat the cough. Examples are apple juice and lemonade. Amount: Use a dose of 1-3 teaspoons (5-15 ml). Give 4 times per day when coughing.
How to help with vomiting when coughing?
For vomiting that occurs with hard coughing, give smaller amounts per feeding.
What is a coughing spell?
The sound made when the cough reflex clears the airway of irritants. Most coughs are part of a cold. A coughing fit or spell is over 5 minutes of nonstop coughing.
What is the best medicine for a fever of 102?
For fevers above 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol). Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Caution: avoid ibuprofen until 6 months or older. Note: Fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections. For all fevers: Keep your child well hydrated.
Can you give a child cough medicine?
Cough Medicines. Don't give any drugstore cold or cough medicines to young children. They are not approved by the FDA under 6 years. Reasons: not safe and can cause serious side effects. Also, they are not helpful. Reason: They can't remove the tickle in the throat. They also can't remove dried mucus from the nose. Nasal saline works best.
Can a virus cause bronchitis in children?
Bronchitis in children is always caused by a virus. This includes cold viruses, influenza and croup. Bacteria do not cause bronchitis in healthy children. Air Pollution Cough. Fumes of any kind can irritate the airway and cause a cough. Tobacco smoke is the most common example.
Can you take antibiotics for coughing?
No Antibiotics. Antibiotics are not helpful for coughs. Antibiotics may be used if your child gets an ear or sinus infection.
How to help a baby with a stuffy nose breathe?
Simply place a pillow or folded towel under the head of your baby 's mattress to create a slight angle. This will raise their head safely and help them to breathe.
How to get rid of congestion in toddler's nose?
Nasal saline gel can be used to calm congestion. Saline drops may make it easier to remove mucus from your child's nose. For babies, try a suction bulb or nasal aspirator. If your toddler can blow their nose with your help, give that a try.
What to do if your baby has a cold?
Try ice cream, ice pops, flavored gelatin, pudding, yogurt, or applesauce. If they prefer warmer foods, try chicken broth or freshly made pudding. Babies 6 months and younger should stick with breast milk or baby formula. These are just a few easy ways to soothe your little one’s cough or cold.
What to feed a toddler with a sore throat?
Toddlers and babies who eat solids may prefer soft, smooth foods. Try ice cream, ice pops, flavored gelatin, pudding, yogurt, or applesauce.
How to help a child with a stuffy nose?
Try Saline Drops. When your child's nose is stuffy, they may have trouble breathing, sleeping, and eating. Saline nasal drops can thin the mucus in their nose and shrink swollen airways. Use them two or three times per day; any more often could make their nose sore. Nasal saline gel can be used to calm congestion.
Can you take OTC for a baby?
When you have a cough or cold, you might reach for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to ease your symptoms. But you can't do that for babies or toddlers. Cough and cold medicines that are safe for grownups can cause serious side effects -- even life-threatening ones -- in children under age 2.
Is it safe to use a humidifier in a child's bedroom?
Moisture in the air makes it easier to breathe, so run a humidifier in your child's bedroom at night. Cool-mist models are safer than those that produce steam. Follow cleaning instructions on the device to prevent mold.
When should children not take cough medicine?
Cough and cold medicines should not be given to children younger than age 4. There's no conclusive evidence of their safety and effectiveness in children.
What is the best medicine for a runny nose?
Decongestants (for stuffy noses), expectorants (to loosen mucus), cough suppressants (to reduce coughing), and antihistamines (for runny noses and sneezing)
How old do you have to be to take ibuprofen?
6 years and older: Follow label dosing. younger than 3 months: Don't use. Call your baby's doctor at the first sign of fever or illness. 3 to 5 months: Don't use. 6 to 23 months: Ask your doctor, and see this ibuprofen dosing chart. 2 to 3 years: Follow label dosing.
How early can you give acetaminophen to a baby?
Always double-check the label because formulations can change, as well as safe dosages based on both age and weight. younger than 3 months: Call your baby's doctor at the first sign of fever or illness. 3 to 5 months: Ask the doctor, and see this acetaminophen dosing chart. 6 to 23 months: Ask the doctor, and see this acetaminophen dosing chart.
Is it safe to give a child aspirin?
Giving aspirin is dangerous when your child has a viral infection. It's been linked to a serious condition called Reye's syndrome, so aspirin is completely off-limits for kids unless a doctor recommends it. Never give a child of any age cough and cold medicine that contains codeine or hydrocodone.
Can you give a child cough medicine?
Never give a child of any age cough and cold medicine that contains codeine or hydrocodone.
How long does a cough last in children?
If your child has a cold, their cough can linger for up to a month after the other symptoms have gone away. An acute (short-term) cough will last less than a month. It’s usually associated with a cold or allergies. This type of cough doesn’t necessarily need a trip to the doctor. It can usually be treated at home.
Why do kids cough?
A cough in young children can have many causes. The vast majority are caused by viral upper respiratory infections, or common colds. If your child has a cold, their cough can linger for up to a month after the other symptoms have gone away.
How to help a toddler with a sore throat?
Warm fluids help thin mucus and soothe a sore throat. Try warm water with lemon, tea, or broth to help your toddler feel better. Humidifiers add moisture to the air, which helps loosen your sinuses. When children have a cold, their sinuses are affected. Using a humidifier might help them cough less too.
Why do toddlers cough at night?
A lot of toddler coughs are caused by postnasal drip from colds or allergies. They tend to be worse at night because lying down causes mucus to drain into the throat. Saline nasal sprays help loosen up the mucus so that it’s easier to remove with a suction bulb. Most children have between four and six colds a year.
Do you need to see a doctor for a cough?
When to See a Doctor. Most children have between four and six colds a year. There’s no need to see a doctor if you suspect your child’s cough is caused by a cold. But you should contact a pediatrician for any of the following symptoms: Constant cough. Barking cough.
Does honey help with coughing?
Honey is proven to reduce coughing symptoms in children. In three trials with 568 children, honey was as effective as two over-the-counter cough medicines, dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine, and more successful than a placebo. As long as your child is over the age of one, you can give them a teaspoon of honey.
Can cough medication help children?
Unfortunately, there ’s no evidence that any medication helps relieve acute cough symptoms in children. But in addition to rest and fluids, the following remedies may provide some comfort:
What to do if your child coughs at home?
If you’ve been treating your child’s cough at home for a few days and it’s getting worse, call your pediatrician’s office. The on-call nurse can give you more treatment ideas and help you decided whether or not to come in for a visit. Asthma and allergies can cause chronic coughs and need to be treated by a doctor.
How old do you have to be to give cough drops?
Only offer cough drops to children four years old and older due to choking risks.
Why does my child cough when he is sick?
Deep cough coming from the chest. It’s likely due to mucus in the airways. Tight cough coming from the upper throat. It may be due to an infection and swelling around the larynx (voice box). Mild cough with sniffing. It could be due to post-nasal drip from the back of your child’s throat. 1.
How long does a cough last in a toddler?
Exposure to germs and fighting them helps kids develop their immune systems. Helping your child to feel comfortable and manage their symptoms can help them get the rest they need to help them recover. A regular cough can last up to two weeks.
How to tell if a child has a cough?
Pay attention to the sound of your child’s cough to help you pick the best home remedy and so that you can properly explain the cough to a doctor. For example: 1 Deep cough coming from the chest. It’s likely due to mucus in the airways. 2 Tight cough coming from the upper throat. It may be due to an infection and swelling around the larynx (voice box). 3 Mild cough with sniffing. It could be due to post-nasal drip from the back of your child’s throat.
What to do if your child has croup?
If your child has croup, their pediatrician may prescribe a steroid to decrease inflammation. Croup causes a tight, barking cough that tends to occur along with a fever. The cough is usually worse at night.
How to get rid of mucus in nose?
Use saline nasal drops. You can buy these over-the-counter nasal drops at a pharmacy. Used with a nasal syringe or nose blowing, saline drops can soften mucus to help remove it. Follow the instructions on the bottle to administer the nasal drops safely.
How to help a child with a cough?
Warm decaffeinated tea may also help ease the tickle that sets off the cough. But if your child refuses to drink, cool Popsicles may tempt her — and they can also soothe a sore throat. Run a cool-mist humidifier in her room at night (a warm humidifier may pose a danger in your child's room if she gets too close to it).
How to take care of a toddler's cough?
To relieve this toddler cough: Take your child into the bathroom, get a hot shower running, and close the door.
How to get rid of bronchioles?
Run a cool-mist humidifier in her room at night to fill the air with moisture. This will help relieve the swelling in the bronchioles, and it will loosen mucus in the airway to ease the cough and congestion. Try using nasal drops and a bulb syringe to clear out mucus in the nose.
Why is my toddler coughing?
The likely cause: Whooping cough, a bacterial infection also known as pertussis. Though outbreaks of whooping cough have been declining, your toddler is most at risk if she didn't get the DTaP vaccine (the P stands for pertussis). To treat the cough: See your pediatrician — your child needs antibiotics.
What is a continuous cough?
The continuous cough. The labored-breathing cough. The cough with a whoop. Toddler cough remedies. Your toddler's tucked in bed, and you're settling in on the couch for a night of sitcoms and snuggling. Then, from out of nowhere, your child's soft, sleepy purrs suddenly turn into loud, raucous coughs.
What is asthma clogged with?
Asthma, a chronic lung condition in which airways swell, spasm, and become clogged with mucus. What to do:
What to do if your child has a fever?
If at any point your child has a high fever, struggles to breathe, or develops a bluish hue around her mouth, get medical help right away.
What to do if your baby is coughing and breathing?
If you’re worried about the cough and your baby’s breathing, consider sleeping in the same room with your child so you can help them as needed.
How long does a newborn cough last?
Other symptoms to note: any cough in newborns within the first couple of weeks. a cough that lasts 8 weeks or longer. a cough that worsens with time, especially after 3 weeks. a cough with night sweats or weight loss. any cough — wet or dry — with wheezing or rapid breathing.
Why does my baby cough?
It may be caused by excess mucus buildup related to a viral illness or environmental irritants like pollen or smoke. You can look at your child’s other symptoms to help narrow down the cause.
Why does my baby cough when he wakes up?
With cold and flu — quite a lot. The mucus in your child’s nose can travel down the back of their nose and throat to cause postnasal drip. This irritates the throat and produces a wet, barky cough and rattling noise in the upper airway (not chest). You may especially notice this cough after your baby wakes up.
Why do babies cough with reflux?
Cough with reflux is usually chronic in nature due to the consistent backward flow of stomach contents and acid. Some babies grow out of reflux with time. Others may need medication or other treatments to get better.
Why do babies cough when they are 6 months old?
Viruses are the most common trigger of asthma episodes in babies 6 months old and younger. The cough is persistent and may be accompanied by wheezing and exaggerated breathing (nostrils flaring, skin sucking between ribs, etc.).
How to help a baby with sore throat?
For babies 12 months or older, you might try giving them a small amount of honey before bedtime or naps. The honey will coat your little one’s throat to relieve soreness. One study revealed that honey may be as effective as the OTC cough suppressant dextromethorphan.
How to get mucus out of a baby's nose?
Release the bulb, holding it in place while it suctions the mucus from your baby's nose. Remove the syringe from your baby's nostril and empty the contents onto a tissue by squeezing the bulb rapidly while holding the tip down. Repeat as often as needed for each nostril. Clean the bulb syringe with soap and water.
What is the best medicine for fever in children?
For treatment of fever or pain in children, consider giving your child infants' or children's over-the-counter fever and pain medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others). These are safer alternatives to aspirin.
How to keep a baby's nose clear?
If you're breastfeeding your baby, keep it up. Breast milk offers extra protection from cold-causing germs. Suction your baby's nose. Keep your baby's nasal passages clear with a rubber-bulb syringe. Squeeze the bulb syringe to expel the air.
How to make a baby more comfortable?
Try to make your baby more comfortable with measures such as making sure he or she drinks enough fluids, suctioning nasal mucus and keeping the air moist.
How old can a baby be to take ibuprofen?
For children younger than 3 months old, don't give acetaminophen until your baby has been seen by a doctor. Don't give ibuprofen to a child younger than 6 months old or to children who are vomiting constantly or are dehydrated. Use these medications for the shortest time.
How to help an older baby with cold?
To make your baby as comfortable as possible, try some of these suggestions: Offer plenty of fluids. Liquids are important to avoid dehydration. Formula or breast milk is the best choice. Encourage your baby to take in the usual amount of fluids.
How long does it take for a baby to get a cold?
There's no cure for the common cold. Most cases of the common cold get better without treatment, usually within a week to 10 days, but a cough may linger for a week or more. Antibiotics don't work against cold viruses. Try to make your baby more comfortable with measures such as making sure he or she drinks enough fluids, ...
