How to treat your baby's cough

What causes a cough in babies?

Coughing is a natural reflex designed to protect your child's airways from getting blocked. Most coughs are caused by the common cold, but there are several other reasons your baby might have a cough, including allergies, asthma, and a sinus infection.

Types of baby cough

There are two types of cough that help keep your child’s airways clear:

• Wet cough

A wet cough, also called a productive cough, will typically bring up mucus or phlegm, which is a mixture of mucus, debris, and cells from the lungs.

• Dry cough

A dry or nonproductive cough doesn't bring up mucus.

Wet coughs are typically caused by a cold or the flu, and dry coughs are usually caused by allergies, asthma, and croup – but not always.

Below are some of the most common causes of coughs, and telltale symptoms to look out for.

Baby cough with stuffy nose

Likely cause: A cold

Other symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Watery eyes
• Little or no appetite
• Low fever

What to do: Colds are the most common cause of coughs in children. If your child has a cold:

• Don't give medicines to suppress the cough. Coughing is an important way for them to clear their airways.
• Try honey if your child is older than 1. You can give them 2 to 5 milliliters of honey or corn syrup to thin the mucus and loosen the cough. (Never give honey to a child under 1 year old because it can cause infant botulism, a rare but potentially fatal illness).

Baby cough with cold and labored breathing

Possible cause: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

What it is: RSV, which usually strikes between November and mid-March, is most common in babies and young children, though children of any age can get it. Usually RSV only causes cold-like symptoms in healthy children. But it can lead to more serious respiratory illnesses, such as bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small breathing tubes) and pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs), especially in babies less than a year old.

Other symptoms (if RSV is leading to bronchiolitis or pneumonia):

• Worsening cough
• Wheezing
• Fast breathing
• Extreme fatigue
• Fever
• Bluish or gray lips and fingernails (because of decreased oxygen in the bloodstream)

What to do: Most children recover from RSV without treatment, but call the doctor if you suspect that your child may be developing bronchiolitis or pneumonia.

Baby cough with fever and trouble breathing

Possible causes: Pneumonia or bronchitis

What it is: Many cases of pneumonia, an infection in the lungs, start out as a cold. Bronchitis results when the bronchi (tubes that carry air to the lungs) become infected, often after a cold or flu. It can cause a nagging cough for several weeks.

Other symptoms:

• Body aches
• Chills

What to do: If your child has symptoms of pneumonia or bronchitis, call the doctor for an appointment. Your child may need an antibiotic to clear up the infection and cough. (If the infection is viral, they'll get better without antibiotics.)

Baby barking cough

Likely cause: Croup

What it is: Croup is usually caused by an infection of the vocal cords (larynx), windpipe (trachea), and bronchial tubes (bronchi) that results in swelling. Coughing through the swollen vocal chords produces a sound similar to a barking seal.

Other symptoms:

• Cough gets worse at night
• Stridor (a high-pitched whistling sound) when your child breathes in.

What to do: As bad as this cough can sound, in most cases it's not too serious and can be treated at home. Here are some tips:

• Comfort your child to keep them calm and help them breathe better if they wake up coughing.
• Keep your child hydrated. Make sure they're getting plenty of fluids. Here are some healthy drinks to give. 
• Elevate their head. If your child is more than a year old, you can try elevating their head a bit while they sleep to help ease their cough. (Don't use pillows with babies, as this increases the risk of SIDS.)
• Use a cool-mist humidifier or take your child into a steamy bathroom. This may help reduce swelling of the airways, although it's not scientifically proven.

If your child’s croup doesn’t seem to be improving, call your doctor for advice. They may want you to bring your child in for an examination.

Baby cough that won't go away

Possible causes: Allergies, asthma, environmental irritants, and sinusitis

What they are:

• Allergies are reactions of the body, such as a hacking dry cough, that are usually caused by an overactive immune system.
• Asthma causes the linings of the tubes that carry air to the lungs to become inflamed.
• Environmental irritants can include things like cigarette smoke or pollution.
• Sinusitis is an inflammation of the lining of the nose and sinuses. It can be either viral or bacterial.

Other symptoms:

• Stuffy or runny nose with clear mucus
• Coughing after running around, at night, or after exposure to cold (if it's asthma)
• Cough and a runny nose that has lasted for at least 10 days with no sign of improvement, and the cough tends to get worse at night (a sign of sinusitis)

What to do:

• If you suspect the cough is caused by allergies, asthma, or sinusitis, make an appointment with your child’s doctor for a diagnosis. (If the doctor determines that your child has bacterial sinusitis, they'll prescribe an antibiotic. The cough should stop after the sinuses are clear again).
• When an environmental irritant is suspected, you'll want to identify and eliminate the problem right away.

Baby cough with no other signs of illness

Possible cause: Swallowing or inhaling an object

Why: A cough that has persisted for a week or more without any other signs of illness (like runny nose, fever, or lethargy) or allergies (clear discharge) could mean that your child has something stuck in their throat or lungs. This scenario is more common among small children who are mobile, have access to small objects, and like to put things in their mouth.

What to do: If the doctor suspects that a foreign body is causing the cough, they'll order a chest X-ray. If it shows something trapped in your child's lungs, the object will have to be removed surgically.

Baby cough followed by "whoop" sound

Likely cause: Whooping cough, also known as pertussis.

What it is: Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by a bacteria called pertussis. It's become less common thanks to widespread use of the DTaP vaccine, but outbreaks still occur. More than 2,000 cases were reported in the United States in 2022.

Other symptoms:

• A child with whooping cough typically coughs nonstop for 20 or 30 seconds, and then struggles to breathe before the next coughing spell starts.
• Cold symptoms (such as sneezing, runny nose, and a mild cough) for up to two weeks before more severe coughing spells begin.

What to do: If this sounds like what your child has, call the doctor right away. Whooping cough can be severe, especially in babies younger than a year old. If your child has whooping cough, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Some babies need to be hospitalized.

Baby cough with thick yellow or green mucus

Possible cause: Cystic fibrosis

What it is: Cystic fibrosis affects about 1 in 2,500 children in the United States each year. A constant cough with thick yellow or green mucus is one of the strongest signs that a child may have inherited the condition.

Other symptoms:

• Recurrent pneumonia and sinus infections
• Not gaining weight
• Salty-tasting skin
• Large, greasy stools

What to do: If a doctor confirms a cystic fibrosis diagnosis, antibiotics are used to treat the accompanying lung infections and various techniques are used to help cough out the thick secretions in the lungs.

Habitual cough

This is unlikely in a baby, although sometimes babies cough to test their voice or to get attention. However, sometimes a toddler or older child develops a cough from an illness and continues to cough out of habit, even after they're otherwise healthy.

If your child is coughing out of habit, they won't do it while they're sleeping, and it will rarely interfere with their eating or speaking. However, it can be disruptive (in a classroom, for example).

What to do: Usually if you wait it out your child will stop coughing on their own. If your child is 4 or older, you can try giving them lozenges or cough drops to distract them from coughing.

Can I give my baby cough medicine?

No, babies can't have over-the-counter cough and cold medicine. These medicines shouldn't be given to babies and kids under age 4 because of the risk of dangerous side effects, says the American Academy of PediatricsOpens a new window.

Here are recommendations by age:

• Under age 4: Don't give cough or cold medicine to your child.
• Ages 4 to 6: Use these medications only if your child's doctor recommends it. According to the AAP, "several studies show that cold and cough products that are taken by mouth don't work in children younger than 6 years old."
• Ages 6 and older: You can give your child an over-the-counter cough or cold medicine – just make sure it's appropriate for their age and measure each dose exactly, according to the directions. Also, never give your child more than one type of cough or cold medicine at a time. These often include multiple ingredients, and you don't want to give your child a double dose of any of them.

See our age-by-age guide to children's medicine for more on medication safety.

For tips on other ways to soothe your child's cough and other symptoms, see our article on safe home remedies for colds.

When to worry about your baby’s cough

Coughs are common in young children, and usually not dangerous. Coughing in newborns is less common. If your baby is under 4 months old, a cough could be a sign of something serious.

In general, call the doctor if your child has a cough and:

• Is younger than 4 months old
• Is breathing more rapidly than usual or looks like they’re working harder to breathe
• Is wheezing
• Is coughing up mucus that's yellow, green, or blood-streaked
• Refuses to drink anything for multiple feeds
• Has a fever and isn't acting like themself
• Has a chronic illness, such as heart or lung disease
• Coughs so hard that they vomit
• Gets a persistent cough after choking on something
• Has a cough that doesn't get better after about two weeks

And, of course, if your child ever seems to be having serious trouble breathing, call 911 right away.