Barking Cough:
It's usually caused by croup, an inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe) brought on by allergies, change in temperature at night, or most commonly a viral upper respiratory infection. When a young child's airway becomes inflamed, it may swell around the vocal cords, making it harder to breathe. Children younger than 3 years of age have croup most often because their windpipes are narrow and some children have it practically every time they have a respiratory illness.
Croup can occur suddenly in the middle of the night, which can be frightening for both you and your child. Although most cases can be managed at home, if you suspect your child has croup, call your child's healthcare professional to determine it your child needs to be seen.
Whooping Cough:
The "whooping" sound actually occurs after the cough, when the child tries to take in a deep breath after a round of several coughs in a row.
If your child makes a "whooping" noise (which actually sounds like "hoop") after severe bouts of rapid coughing, it is most likely a symptom of whooping cough particularly if your child has not received diphtheria/tetanus/pertussis (DTaP) vaccinations. Infants with whooping cough usually do not "whoop" after the prolonged episodes of coughing, but they may not get enough oxygen
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or they may even stop breathing with this disease. In infants and very young children, it can be deadly, so call your child's doctor or nurse right away.
Cough With Wheezing:
When coughing is accompanied by a wheezing sound as your child exhales (breathes out), it is a sign that something may be partially blocking the lower airway. This might be caused by swelling from a respiratory infection such as bronchiolitis or pneumonia, asthma or from an object stuck in the airway. Call a medical professional unless your child has this problem often and you have medicine, such as an inhaler or nebulizer, with instructions on how to use the medicine for home treatment of your child's asthma. If the cough and wheezing do not improve with medication, call your child's healthcare provider.
Stridor:
Although wheezing usually happens during exhalation, stridor (pronunced: stry-door) is noisy, harsh breathing (some doctors describe it as a coarse, musical sound) that's heard when a child inhales (breathes in). Most often, it's caused by swelling of the upper airway, usually from viral croup. However, it's sometimes caused by a more serious infection called epiglottitis or a foreign object stuck in the child's airway. If your child has stridor, call your medical office immediately. |
Sudden Cough:
When a child suddenly starts coughing, it may mean she has swallowed some food or liquid "the wrong way" (into the airway) or something (a bit of food, vomit, or perhaps even a small toy or coin) is caught in her throat or airway. Coughing helps clear the airway and may even continue for a minute or so simply because the throat or airway is irritated. But if the coughing does not seem to improve or your child has trouble breathing, call your child's doctor. Do not try to clear the throat with your finger because you might push the obstruction even farther down the windpipe.
Nighttime Cough:
Lots of coughs get worse at night because the congestion in a child's nose and sinuses drains down the throat and causes irritation while the child lies in bed. This is only a problem if your child is unable to sleep. Asthma can also trigger nighttime coughs because the airways tend to be more sensitive and become more irritable at night.
Daytime Cough:
Allergies, asthma, colds, and other respiratory infections are the usual culprits. Cold air or activity can make these coughs worse, and they often subside at night or when the child is resting. You should make sure that nothing in your house, like air freshener, pets, or smoke, is making your child cough
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