Coughing is not a disease but a reflex that protects the airways. Even so, your baby coughing all night tires both them and you. The important thing is to distinguish a harmless cough from a dangerous one.

Causes by Type of Cough

Type of cough Condition it suggests
Barking, with hoarseness Croup
With wheezing (a whistling sound) Bronchiolitis/RSV, asthma
Productive, throughout the day Common cold, bronchitis
Dry, worsening at night Postnasal drip, allergy
Sudden onset, choking-like ⚠️ Foreign object — emergency!
In fits until vomiting Suspected whooping cough

What Helps at Home?

  • Nose cleaning: Saline + aspirator. Babies breathe through the nose; a blocked nose is the most common cause of coughing.
  • Humidity and fluids: Room humidity around 50%, plenty of breast milk/fluids soften the mucus.
  • Raise the head of the bed slightly (under the mattress).
  • Over 1 year of age: 2.5-5 ml of honey before bedtime reduces coughing. ⚠️ Honey must never be given under 1 year of age (risk of botulism).
  • Keep away from cigarette smoke — passive smoking is the number-one factor that prolongs a cough.

Take to a Doctor Immediately

  • Cough + fever in a baby younger than 3 months
  • Rapid breathing, indrawing of the spaces between the ribs, wheezing
  • Bluish discoloration of the lips, pauses in breathing
  • Inability to feed, decreased urination
  • A persistent cough lasting longer than 4 weeks