A cough often accompanies the common cold, but there are times when it may signify something more serious.

 

Signs of a more serious illness would include:

 

1) Rapid breathing without having fever

a. Infants with respiratory rate of more than 60 times per minute

b. Children with respiratory rate more than 40 times per minute

 

 2) Labored breathing (using abdominal muscles, having retractions)

 3) Noisy breathing such as wheezing (made when breathing out) or stridor (made when     breathing in) 

 4) Non-stop coughing

 

 

 

Noisy breathing when breathing IN is called stridor.  This occurs most often with the viral illness croup.  The child usually has a strange sounding cough which resembles a seal barking or a goose honking.  Croup is known to worsen at night.  If your child has noisy breathing or can't stop coughing, take him/her outside into the cool night air or into a steamed up bathroom.   This can calm their breathing after 15 - 20 minutes.  Try to also keep your child calm, as they will have more trouble if they are crying.  We worry most when the noisy breathing occurs when the child is peaceful, as it will occur in a crying child even in mild cases.  If there is no improvement in the breathing,  or if your child has stridor at rest, call the Doctor on call.

 

Noisy breathing when breathing OUT is called wheezing.  Sometimes you may not hear this noise, but notice that your child is coughing incessantly, breathing fast, or having labored breathing.  If your child is struggling to breathe, call the Doctor on call.  If your child is known to have asthma, you may administer the quick relief medicine (Albuterol or Xopenex) 2 times in a row if necessary.  If there is still no improvement, call the Doctor on call.