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Night Cough in Children

Coughing is a natural reflex that removes irritants from your child's throat, lungs and passageways. Although coughs tend to get worse at night while your child is sleeping, this is usually no cause for alarm. However, some coughs require a doctor's intervention. Understanding the causes will help you decide when to call your pediatrician. It may also help you relieve the symptom, allowing your child to sleep better.

  1. Possible Causes

    • Colds, flu, sinus infections, croup, bronchitis, whooping cough and pneumonia can all trigger nighttime coughing. Most of these illnesses cause slightly different sounding coughs. By listening to the cough and accounting for other symptoms, you may be able to determine the cause of the cough and provide appropriate relief.

    Diagnosis

    • If your child's cough is due to a cold, she will have a runny or stuffed up nose and possibly a fever. The cough and cold should disappear in about 10 days. A sinus infection will last longer and could include facial pain and bad breath. Croup causes deep, barky coughs that usually begin in the middle of the night. When your child breathes in, it will sound harsh and coarse. Dry, hacking and nonproductive coughs may signify bronchitis. These coughs tend to worsen when your child first wakes up. If coughs come in a long-lasting, persistent series, she may have whooping cough. Because there's little time to breathe in between, she will end the coughing with a deep breath that sounds like whooping. Pneumonia triggers a productive cough but causes difficulty breathing.

    Treatment

    • Cough medicines are not highly recommended for four reasons. First, coughs help clear your child's lungs and airways. Second, these medicines don't treat the cause of the cough. Third, cough medicine is not suitable for children under age 4. Fourth, medicines that treat more than one symptom may contain medicine your child doesn't need and cause side effects. However, if the cough keeps your child from sleeping, you should discuss this option with your pediatrician. Giving your child buckwheat honey right before bed may be a better alternative. In a study conducted by the Penn State College of Medicine, honey was more effective than cough medicine in reducing the severity and frequency of night coughing. It also improved the quality of sleep.

    Other Home Treatments

    • If your child has a cold, flu or sinus infection, elevating his head when he's sleeping may help with drainage. Breathing steamy air can help with croup. Turn on the hot water in your shower, close the door and have your child sit in the bathroom for 20 minutes. Cool-mist humidifiers help most coughs, as does drinking plenty of cool liquids, especially with illnesses that cause dry, hacking coughs such as croup and bronchitis.

    Considerations

    • Nighttime coughing typically lasts less than two weeks. If your child's cough lasts longer or recurs frequently, she may have asthma. In some children, nighttime coughing is the primary symptom of this condition. Persistent coughs can also be caused by allergies, chronic sinusitis and tuberculosis.

    Warning

    • Any coughing in a newborn or infant should be evaluated by a pediatrician. You should also call your pediatrician if your child has a high fever, trouble breathing, appears blue on her face or tongue or coughs up blood.

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