First Aid & Emergencies

Coughs

• Is unconscious or not breathing
• Is gasping for breath
• Can't cry or talk because of breathing trouble
• Grunts when breathing
• Has blue lips
• May have a small object caught in her throat
• Is breathing very fast (this is also a symptom of fever)
• Looks very sick

Coughs in young children can be due to a number of illnesses. Most often, a cough gets better on its own and doesn't need to be a cause for concern.

Call Doctor If:

• Your child is younger than 1 year old and still has trouble breathing after you cleaned out her nose
• May have a  lung infection or a reactive airways disease episode
• Has trouble breathing or is breathing very fast when not coughing
• Has severe coughing attacks or continuous coughing
• Is wheezing or making a high-pitched whistle sound when breathing out or in
• Can't take a deep breath because of chest pain or coughed-up blood
• Has a fever that lasts

1. Prevent Dehydration

• Give babies plenty of breast milk or formula.
• Give older children water or juice mixed with water.

2. Relieve Congestion

• Thin mucus in a stuffy nose with saline nose drops.
• Remove mucus from a baby's nose with a suction bulb.

3. Ease Breathing

• Use a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air.
• Sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running and have your child breathe in the steam.

4. Make the Child Comfortable

• Let the child rest.
• Avoid irritants, such as cigarette smoke.
• Don't give cough medicine to a child under age 6 unless your pediatrician suggests it.