Why Is My Baby Coughing? 8 Possible Causes and When to Worry
If a young baby has a terrible cough or one that worsens after a day or two, and their breathing becomes labored, call your pediatrician immediately. As with bronchiolitis, keep an eye on your child's respiratory rate. If it gets too high—50 breaths per minute or more—your child is definitely in respiratory distress. Call 911.
Baby Cough That Indicates Foreign Object
Small toys and food, such as a piece of carrot or hot dog, are the most common causes of choking. If a baby starts gasping or coughing suddenly while eating or playing with small toys, look in their mouth for an obvious culprit. They can usually cough it out themselves. A cough without any noise may indicate a complete obstruction and is a medical emergency.
What it sounds like
Small, persistent cough or gasping
Symptoms of a stuck foreign object
Since babies are always sticking things in their mouths, it's possible to miss something that's been stuck for days. Symptoms of a baby cough from a foreign object include:
- An initial coughing spell followed by a persistent cough or slight wheezing over a period of days afterward—without any other cold symptoms and no recent history of cold or fever
- Pneumonia can also be a result of food that got swallowed the wrong way and stuck in a baby's lungs—peanuts are very common culprits, says Catherine Dundon, M.D., an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical School and a pediatrician in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.
If the object has totally blocked your baby's airway, they would exhibit the following symptoms:
- Appearing to be in obvious distress
- Making no sound at all
- Turning pale or blue
