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Toddler Coughing At Night: Coughing Remedies for Toddlers

Coughing at night is a common problem with toddlers. It can not only be a difficult for parents but also for other family members. Before thinking of possible cures for the cough, it is important to find out what kind of cough it is. It is important to know if it’s just a mild cough or something bigger and serious.

Most of the coughs get worse at night. The more usual type of cold cough in the night is caused by mucus. The mucus and sinuses produced by the nose keep draining drown the throat. This causes irritation while sleeping and thus triggers cough. Generally this kind of cough is not a huge problem to deal with. Simple things such as room humidification, inhaling steam or a spoonful of honey usually help reduce such cough. Try raising the head by adding a pillow so that the mucus drains down without causing irritation. Do not do this for children below 1 yr. It is only when such cough persists for a long time that you should try consulting a pediatrician, since this can also be asthma. Such persistent coughs can be caused by asthma, allergies or chronic infection in the sinuses.

Parents need to look out if the cough shows any other symptoms such as wheezing while coughing, or if it’s a barky cough or a whooping cough. If such symptoms are seen, consult a pediatrician. A wheezing cough indicates a blockage in the lower air pipe which can be a sign of bronchitis. Barky coughs are signs of croups, a swelling of the larynx (voice box) and the trachea (wind pipe). Whooping cough is another name for a bacterial infection called pertussis. This infection is caused by a bacterium named bordetella pertussis. This type of cough is contagious and needs immediate medical care. If a cough is accompanied with fever then it is a possible sign of pneumonia.

Parents should always remember not to administrate any medicines on their own. The severe cases of cough cannot be cured without medical attention. One thing must be made sure that any of the over-the-counter medicines like decongestants, suppressants or any other type of cough medicine should not be given to children below two years of age. The FDA issued a warning in 2007 warning that children under the age 2 should never be given cold and cough medicines without a doctor’s prescription

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