A cough is a body response that helps to clear the airways and restore airway patency. If the baby begins to cough in the morning, this can mean both a pathological and a physiological condition. To determine the nature of the appearance of such a symptom, it is better to consult a specialist.
A healthy child, even when coughing in the morning, is active
Possible causes of coughing in the morning of a child
Cough is not an independent disease. This is one of the symptoms that indicate illness. By the nature of the cough (volume, intensity, presence of sputum), they try to determine the cause of its occurrence.
On a note. If the baby just cleared his throat in the morning, but then nothing bothers him, then there is no reason for panic. This is a natural process of getting rid of mucus that has accumulated overnight.
Diseases that provoke morning cough in a child
Sometimes a child's cough after sleeping becomes a symptom of a disease. If it becomes more frequent, and there is a deterioration in the condition, then you should seek the advice of a doctor.
In pathological processes, in addition to coughing, there are other symptoms.
Cough is a concomitant symptom of many diseases:
- Colds of a viral or bactericidal nature. Dry cough appears at the beginning. If untreated, the condition worsens, a rare coughing develops into severe attacks.
- Bronchial asthma. In this case, the cough is observed in seizures, it is short-lived and accompanied by a slight sputum production.
- Whooping cough. At the initial stage, a dry cough occurs, which gradually develops into prolonged attacks.
- ENT pathology. Attacks of morning cough can be triggered by the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in the baby's respiratory tract, for example, Haemophilus influenzae.
- Allergy. If coughing fits in the morning began to appear after changing bed linen, then this may be a reaction to washing powder or conditioner. Allergic cough attacks begin in summer or spring, when many plants are blooming.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease. With this pathology, the contents of the stomach are thrown into the alimentary canal. In addition to coughing, heartburn, abdominal pain, white coating on the tongue are observed.
There are a lot of diseases that are accompanied by coughing in the morning. It is difficult to determine the cause yourself. This can only be done by a professional.
Foreign matter in the airway
A direct threat to the baby's life is the presence of a foreign object in the respiratory tract. In this case, the child must be shown to the doctor.
Symptoms:
- sudden and prolonged coughing fit;
- shortness of breath;
- the skin becomes bluish;
- breathing becomes noisy and sibilant;
- in difficult situations, the child begins to wheeze.
The kids are very active and everyone is trying to taste. Therefore, babies should not be left unattended.
Physiological cough in infants
Sometimes the cause of a child's morning cough is one of the physiological processes. The problem can be caused by the following conditions:
- Teething. During this period, the work of the salivary gland is activated. During sleep, secreted secretions enter the respiratory tract, waking up, the child coughs in the morning.
- A sharp change in body position. If the baby gets up or turns around, then pathological secrets can enter the respiratory tract and cause a cough.
- Breastfeeding and artificial feeding. Some of the food gets into the tracheal tree, which provokes the appearance of an unpleasant symptom.
Most of the physiological causes do not require treatment. You can free the baby's nose from the accumulated mucus with a special device or a rubber small pear.
When teething occurs, the salivary glands secrete a lot of mucus, which clogs the airways and provokes a cough
Dust and dry air
A sore throat and coughing in the morning can occur in babies due to dry air in the room. This problem is especially relevant during the winter heating period or when the air conditioner is constantly on. During sleep, the baby's mucous membranes dry out, mucus and inhaled dust can accumulate in the respiratory tract. After waking up, the child's body will get rid of irritants by coughing, the child simply clears his throat and leads an active lifestyle, as always.
Humidifiers will help solve the problem. During operation, they spray moisture around the room at a given frequency.
Dustiness of the room can cause a cough in a child in the morning. Therefore, do not overload the nursery with carpets and soft toys. Also monitor the cleanliness of the room.
Diagnostic methods
If the child coughs after sleep, then they look at the further condition of the child. If there is no deterioration, activity does not disappear until the evening, and there are no frequent attacks, then you can choose an observational tactic.
On a note. When contacting a doctor, he will ask parents about the nature of the cough, the frequency of its manifestation and the events that precede it.
In addition to verbal questioning of parents, when visiting a medical institution, the doctor will perform auscultation of the lungs using a phonendoscope, a visual examination of the oral cavity (for the presence of redness or enlarged adenoids).
Most often, auxiliary procedures are prescribed:
- laboratory tests;
- chest x-ray;
- spirometry.
If, after carrying out these procedures, the doctor fails to establish the cause of the cough, other methods can be used that are used for the differential diagnosis of diseases of the respiratory system.
Symptoms of morning cough in a child
If after sleep the child has a short cough, and nothing bothers him during the day, then there is no reason for panic. Most likely, this is a physiological process in which the baby is freed from the mucus accumulated in the respiratory tract. Such a syndrome appears and disappears imperceptibly. It does not require treatment.
You need to pay attention to the nature of the cough, as well as concomitant syndromes:
- seizure frequency:
- type of cough: dry or wet;
- duration;
- temperature;
- sore throat.
If, in addition to the morning cough, there are other signals, then you should consult a doctor for a diagnosis.
Are complications possible?
When a wet or dry cough appears in a child in the morning, you need to carefully monitor his condition and behavior in order to understand why it has arisen. Only in some cases, coughing is not a cause for concern.
Often the appearance of such a symptom indicates the onset of the development of the disease. If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, then the pathology can go into an advanced or chronic stage. Treatment in this case will be long and difficult.
Particular attention should be paid to dry coughs when it is difficult for a child to get rid of phlegm. You need to see a doctor so that he prescribes special drugs that will help the mucus move away.
On a note. The difficulty of treating cough in infants is that not all drugs can be given at that age. And it is not easy for a newborn to get rid of mucus on its own.
Should I see a doctor
If you have questions about the cause of a cough in the morning, then you should definitely seek the advice of a pediatrician. If, apart from a single case of coughing, there are no signs of illness, then they simply observe the child.
The pediatrician, after examination and analysis, will be able to establish a diagnosis
Important! If the cough is intermittent, and there is a noticeable deterioration in the child's condition, as well as other, even mild, signs of a viral or infectious disease, then you should seek medical help.
The following symptoms should be a signal to call a pediatrician:
- pallor of the skin;
- sweating;
- the baby often wakes up at night;
- the appearance of sputum of a greenish, yellow or brown tint;
- difficulty breathing.
If you find even 1 of the listed symptoms, you should consult a doctor. Only a pediatrician will be able to correctly diagnose and prescribe the appropriate treatment.
How to help a child
To help your baby cope with coughing fits in the morning, you can use the following guidelines:
- Rinse the nose with saline solutions to make it easier for the baby to get rid of the accumulated mucus.
- Give plenty of fluids. Boil herbal decoctions for the baby.
- On the recommendation of a doctor, perform chest massage, inhalation.
- If the doctor permits, use warming ointments, syrups.
- Support the immune system with a complex of vitamins. The drugs must be age appropriate.
- Exclude salty, sweet foods from the child's diet.
On a note. If the child is under six months, then inhalation should not be performed. It is necessary to use medicines for up to a year as carefully as possible and only with the permission of a doctor.
Inhalation helps with respiratory diseases, but they also have their own contraindications
It is possible to treat a child from respiratory, viral and infectious diseases only with full compliance with the doctor's recommendations. Any self-medication can harm the baby.
Doctor Komarovsky's advice
The well-known children's pediatrician Komarovsky recommends that when a morning cough appears, first of all, analyze what has changed in the room (new furniture, toys, bedding, washing powder).
Often the problem can be solved by finding and removing the irritant. According to the doctor, it is important to observe the average level of humidity in the room, keep the room clean, and ventilate. The kid should play actively, perform physical exercises feasible for himself.
When a morning cough appears, the doctor must compare all the facts and study the condition of the child's mucous membranes, prescribe tests. Only after a complete examination can the correct diagnosis and treatment be prescribed.
Any treatment can be carried out with the permission of a doctor
Prevention
Any illness, including a cough in the morning, is easier to prevent than to engage in long-term treatment later. Simple preventive measures will help to cope with the problem:
- Regular walks in the fresh air. Leaving the baby at home is only necessary if he is not feeling well.
- The child's sleeping place should not be in a draft or near a working air conditioner.
- Avoid contact of the child with an irritant (allergen).
- Ventilate the bedroom regularly, especially before bed.
- Humidify the air. This is most important during heating periods.
- Give your baby plenty of fluids to drink.
The health of children should be taken very seriously. Most often, any pathological condition is easier to prevent than to deal with treatment later. Even minor deviations can indicate a disease. Only specialized doctors can correctly determine the cause of a child's cough in the morning and prescribe treatment.
