Question
My baby has been coughing with a lot of phlegm and wheezing for a day, and it seems like they can’t cough very often. It mainly happens when they play with water they just drank; after a while, they cough and a lot of phlegm comes out. This is the first time this has happened after coughing for several days.
Answer
- If an infant suddenly has severe coughing and difficulty breathing, it may be due to a foreign object blocking the airway. Commonly swallowed items include peanuts, pencil caps, pills, buttons, and coins, which can be very dangerous and should be taken to the hospital immediately.
- If the infant has a high fever, cough, wheezing, and difficulty breathing, they should be taken to the hospital for emergency care.
- The infant may have developed bronchiolitis, which is a type of pneumonia with symptoms such as a poor complexion, cyanosis, rapid breathing, shoulder shrugging, and indentation of the lower chest wall when inhaling. If these symptoms occur, they should be taken to the hospital for immediate treatment.