Question
My baby is about one month old, and recently, I’ve noticed that she occasionally coughs one or two times a day. This doesn’t happen only when she’s feeding. Is this normal, or should I check her lungs? Her feeding and bowel movements are normal.
Answer
Coughing is a protective reflex of the human body. Pathogens and mucus in the respiratory tract can be expelled from the body through coughing, which helps to clean the respiratory tract and keep it unobstructed. However, some young parents find that when their child has a slight cough, they rush to give them various cough suppressants and cough syrups. Cough suppressants can quickly act on the cough center in the body, producing a strong cough-suppressing effect. While this may temporarily relieve cough symptoms, it can cause a large amount of mucus and pathogens to accumulate in the respiratory tract, leading to secondary bacterial infections. In severe cases, it can cause chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and even lung collapse or heart failure, which can be life-threatening. Therefore, do not give cough suppressants randomly before determining the cause of the child’s cough.