A 2-month-old child is coughing and sneezing and has a fever, nothing to do.

A runny nose and cough at any age indicate the presence of an allergy, cold or ARVI. Adults, knowing this fact, either independently buy a familiar remedy that has proven itself more than once, or ignore the symptoms, because, as you know, a common cold goes away in a week, whether it is treated or not. However, a runny nose and cough in a baby can seriously frighten young parents. And this is quite fair, because the child’s body has not yet acquired reliable immunity. You will learn from this article how to act if your baby shows signs of a cold.

Causes of occurrence: what is considered normal?

Every young mother definitely needs to know that there is a so-called physiological runny nose and cough in infants. Such a runny nose occurs in the first days of a baby’s life and is considered an absolutely normal manifestation of the newborn’s body adapting to a new environment. The glands located in the nose do not yet “know how” to secrete the amount of mucus necessary to maintain a normal level of hydration. As a result, more of it is formed than necessary, and symptoms of a pseudo-cold appear, which occurs without fever. After a few days, this runny nose gradually disappears without any treatment.

Babies start teething at the age of six to seven months. This time cannot be called easy for either mother or baby. After all, teething may be accompanied by an increase in temperature, increased salivation (salivation), as well as the appearance of copious discharge from the nose. This phenomenon is considered a normal reaction to teething: as a rule, after a few days the baby’s condition returns to normal on its own.

Another cause of a runny nose and cough in an infant can be excessive regurgitation.

The reflex cough that accompanies a child’s physiological runny nose is explained by the fact that mucus flowing down the back wall of the nasopharynx causes irritation.

Night cough in a child

Some children cough mainly during sleep, this can be caused by many reasons:

The cough is wet and the child has not coughed enough during the day and before bed, the lying position provokes greater contact of accumulated mucus from the bronchial mucosa. In this case, it is necessary to ensure that you cough up sputum before going to bed.
Rhinitis in a child, in which mucus draining from the nose irritates the back of the throat, causing a cough.
The use of heating devices, due to which the air in the room becomes dry and dries the surface of the mucous membranes during breathing.
A night cough can occur with whooping cough, bronchial asthma, allergies to pillow fluff and other substances in a sleeping child’s room.

Often during a respiratory illness in children, especially in the first year of life, a kind of rough, barking cough occurs.

When crying, the child's voice becomes rougher, this is explained by the fact that as a result of swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx, the lumen of the respiratory tract narrows, the child's breathing becomes difficult and loud.

This condition is very dangerous for the baby, and parents should immediately call a doctor, as complete closure of the upper respiratory tract and asphyxia may occur.

Pathological causes of cough and runny nose

In infants, a runny nose usually appears due to pathogens getting on the mucous membranes. As a rule, the infection is accompanied not only by a cough and runny nose, but also by elevated body temperature, lethargy, moodiness, decreased appetite, sleep disturbances, etc.

A severe cough may indicate that the disease is affecting the respiratory tract, such as the trachea or bronchi. In this case, the cough can be either dry (non-productive) or wet (with sputum discharge). Similar processes in a newborn often occur due to the fact that mucus from the nose, which arose in the first stages of the development of the disease, was not removed using special devices. After all, it is known that an infant is not able to blow his nose on his own, as a result of which a cold causes him much more suffering than an adult. In order for the baby to be able to breathe and sleep peacefully, he definitely needs to put special drops into his nose, which constrict the blood vessels, relieve swelling and reduce the secretion of mucus.

In an infant, a cough and runny nose can be caused by asthma, an allergic reaction to dust, lint, synthetics, wool or animal feed, new foods, or detergents. A cough also occurs after a foreign body gets into the throat, which is extremely dangerous for the child’s life. The foreign body must be urgently removed from the respiratory tract, and an ambulance must be called.

How to relieve a child who is coughing?

It depends on what kind of cough the child has.

If you have a dry cough, you should give your child warm drinks more often and provide sufficient air humidity, which will protect the mucous membrane from drying out.

Drinking small sips of a warm beverage frequently will reduce irritation of the upper respiratory tract.

It’s hard to think of anything better for infants than warm drinks and breast milk.

If your baby has a normal temperature, you can place a warm heating pad on his chest closer to his neck, wrapping it in a towel.

Heat expands the bronchi, and the cough will stop for a while.

Perhaps your baby will feel better if you just hold him close and warm him with your own warmth.

If a child’s cough bothers him when he is put into bed, this may be a consequence of mucus from the nose entering the nasopharynx; such a cough does not bother the baby much and he continues to sleep.

To eliminate the problem, it is enough to place the child on his side or tummy, then the mucus will flow out without irritating the respiratory tract.

You should not increase the temperature in the room where the child is located using heaters, because they quickly dry out the air.

If parents think that the baby is cold, it is better to dress him warmer.

With a wet cough, it is very important that the child is able to remove the mucus that has collected in the respiratory tract.

The smaller the child, the more difficult it is to remove phlegm and the more dangerous the accumulation of mucus in the respiratory tract.

In this case, the child needs help. It is important for parents to remember that expectorants are used in children under 1 year of age only with the permission of a doctor.

You can help your child clear his throat by gently pressing his tongue as far as possible with a spoon.

It is better if a doctor teaches this technique so as not to provoke vomiting.

Mucus is removed more easily if the child is placed on your lap so that the head is slightly lower than the body.

At the same time, very lightly pat the baby’s back towards the neck, alternating with stroking.

Antitussives should not be given to infants under 1 year of age; they are dangerous because they lead to stagnation of mucus in the respiratory tract and the development of complications.

How does a runny nose occur in a baby?

Viral or bacterial rhinitis in infants occurs in three stages:

the child sneezes, the nasal mucosa swells. Nose is stuffed. Nasal discharge is scanty and transparent;
the child’s nose is so blocked that he can only breathe through his mouth;
Thick yellow or greenish discharge comes from the nose. This indicates a speedy recovery.

At each stage of the disease, a cough is observed. At first it is quite weak, but as rhinitis develops it intensifies

Under no circumstances should such symptoms observed with rhinitis be ignored. If the disease is started, it will develop gradually, affecting deeper and deeper areas of the respiratory system. As a result, the child may develop a dangerous condition such as pneumonia.

Cough and runny nose are especially dangerous for children who have problems with the immune system or were born premature. Parents should be especially attentive to their condition.

Is your baby coughing and sneezing, but no temperature?

Cough, like a runny nose, is a frequent companion to most respiratory diseases.

Its task is to rid the body of foreign substances: viruses, bacteria, small particles of dust, various allergic particles.

In everyday life, a small amount of them necessarily gets into the child’s respiratory tract, but with the help of mucus, protective antibodies and the structural features of the bronchial mucosa, the body quietly gets rid of them.

When a child gets sick, there is more mucus, and coughing helps remove it and reopen the airways.

But coughing does not always give relief; it often disturbs sleep, worsens the child’s well-being and worries parents.

In addition, it can be a sign of diseases more serious than acute respiratory infections, and the use of various, especially combined antitussive drugs can worsen the child’s condition.

Therefore, parents should know that a baby who is coughing must be examined by a doctor.

A cough can be a manifestation of inflammation of the mucous membrane of any part of the respiratory tract, namely a symptom of one of numerous diseases.

Diseases accompanied by cough

Laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx), in this case the cough is rough, barking, and may be accompanied by noisy breathing.
Tracheitis is a rough cough that can be painful. This cough is also possible with further acute respiratory infections.
Bronchitis is a cough that is initially dry and frequent, then becomes less frequent and wet. With obstructive bronchitis, wheezing is noted.
Pneumonia - the nature of the cough can be similar to bronchitis, but is determined by the severity of the baby’s condition. Shortness of breath is possible; in case of complications with pleurisy, pain may be felt in the intercostal spaces during coughing.
Children's infections.
With measles, along with the symptoms characteristic of this infection, an obsessive, painful cough is observed. With whooping cough and parawhooping cough, the cough is paroxysmal with characteristic pauses in breathing.
Allergic diseases. Along with cough, other manifestations of allergies are observed - various rashes, itching, lacrimation.
Tuberculosis of the respiratory system. This is also worth remembering, but as a rule, the disease is identified in the early stages.
Bronchial asthma.
The nature of the cough can be different - dry, paroxysmal, wet and deep, and may be accompanied by wheezing. Often, an obsessive cough may be the first or only manifestation of this disease.
Pleurisy.
This is a complication of pneumonia, in which inflammation spreads to the membrane surrounding the lung tissue, the pleura. In this case, the cough is accompanied by pain in the chest, possible pain in the tummy, and the child’s condition is serious.
Coughing in infants can also be observed with rhinitis: mucus from the nasal cavity flows down the back wall of the throat, and due to its irritation, the baby may cough periodically.
In this case, the cough will be infrequent and short-lived. A superficial cough can be observed with adenoid growths, with possible difficulty breathing and nasal discharge. If there is insufficient air humidity in the room, respiratory discomfort may occur, especially in winter when using different heaters.
A cough can occur as a result of milk entering the respiratory tract during breastfeeding (especially in children who often regurgitate). The child must be monitored, as frequent repetition of such cases can lead to the development of pneumonia.

It depends on what kind of cough the child has

If you have a dry cough, you should give your child warm drinks more often and provide sufficient air humidity, which will protect the mucous membrane from drying out.