0-5 Know How

What are the causes?

There are different reasons why your child may cough or wheeze. Possible causes include:

• Colds and other viruses – this is a very common cause of coughing.

• Choking – the coughing is sudden and the child has not been unwell.

• Croup – this tends to cause a barking, hoarse cough.

• Bronchiolitis – this is a chest infection, which can cause coughing and wheezing.

• Smoke – smoking around babies can cause them to cough and should be avoided.

• Hay fever – this may be caused by dust mites, animal hair or moulds. As well as coughs, other symptoms may include sneezing and a runny nose.

• Allergy – this can cause coughing after exposure to specific substances.

• Asthma – coughing tends to be worse at night or after exercise. The child may also wheeze.

• Whooping cough – a contagious infection, which can be prevented by immunisation.

• Pneumonia – this causes a sudden onset of cough, high fever and fast breathing: it can be prevented by immunisation.

 

What are the signs & symptoms?

Use your instincts with newborns and babies. It could be:

• Rapid breathing or panting, which is common. There is no other sign of illness, it comes and goes and your baby is breathing comfortably most of the time, there’s normally no need to worry.

• Breathing may sound a bit rattly. Try holding your baby upright.

• Occasional coughing or choking which may occur when a baby takes in milk too quickly with feeds. Try to slow things down a bit. Check feeding position.

• A cold or mild cough. Keep an eye on them at this stage and use your instincts. If you are worried talk to your health visitor.

 

In older babies and toddlers you may notice:

• Coughing, runny nose, mild temperature.

• Croup (hoarse voice, barking cough) needs to be assessed by your GP and may need treating with steroids.

• Child appears pale.

• Wheezing is fairly common in the under 5s associated with colds. It is not usually suggestive of asthma unless symptoms occur between viral infections.

Children can stop breathing during a severe respiratory attack. If the coughing and wheezing don’t settle, or if your baby becomes more distressed or unwell, take them to your doctor or children’s hospital straight away.
 

Non-urgent treatment for coughing and wheezing

Generally, you can relieve mild coughing and wheezing at home. Usually, the coughing will clear up in a few days to a couple of weeks. If coughing goes on for three weeks, see your doctor.

Home care suggestions include:

• Comfort your child – try to keep your baby calm. Having a cough and a noisy wheeze frightens children and breathing is more difficult when they are upset.

• Offer frequent drinks – drinking less amounts, but more often, may be easier if they are blocked up from a cold.

• Avoid smoking – smoking in the home or car increases the risk of respiratory problems in babies.

 

Medicines such as antibiotics don’t help viral infections such as colds, flu, bronchiolitis or croup. ‘Over-the-counter’ cough medicines are not suitable for infants and young children without specific advice from your child’s doctor, as there is evidence that they may cause harm to some children and mask symptoms of more serious illness.