Any change in the baby’s state of health causes anxiety in mom. If the change of mood, tearfulness and irritability are accompanied by the appearance of cough and runny nose, then there is no doubt at all that the viral disease is to blame. But such symptoms are characteristic not only for acute respiratory viral infections, but also for the process of teething. Can there be a cough at the same time, what should it be like, should it be treated and how to alleviate the condition of the baby? The answers to all these questions are presented in the article.
Teething symptoms
Usually the first teeth in babies appear at the age of six months. This process gives the child an unpleasant sensation, as a result of which he becomes moody, agitated, tearful. Most often, other teething symptoms are observed:
- swelling and redness of the gums;
- increased salivation;
- diarrhea;
- runny nose;
- temperature rise;
- restless sleep;
- decreased appetite.
Usually, the above signs appear in the baby 3-5 days before the eruption of the first tooth. But all children develop in different ways, so you should not rely entirely on these terms.
The main symptom prior to teething is soreness and swelling of the gums. Also, some children begin to cough, and because of the increased saliva, they have a rash on their cheeks and chin. But most of all mothers care about whether there is a cough when teething. Let us dwell on this issue in more detail.
Can there be a cough when teething?
Usually this process is accompanied by a decrease in immunity and a deterioration in the general condition of the child's body. But parents should not be very upset and worry in advance. This is a completely physiological physiological process. The child will again be cheerful and cheerful as soon as teeth appear above the surface of the gums. And with teething, a cough can be, and this is far from uncommon.
The task of parents is to be able to distinguish it in time from acute respiratory viral disease. With a decrease in immunity, it will be very easy to pick up SARS and even flu.
Causes of Cough
An experienced mother can almost accurately determine when her baby's teeth are cut. This is immediately noticeable in his behavior, a sharp change in mood and other symptoms described above. But the most common causes of coughing during teething in infants should include:
- Accumulation of saliva in the throat as a result of increased salivation.
- Irritation of mucus discharged from the nose, back of the throat. As a result, the child begins to cough reflexively, that is, in response to an irritant (snot).
- Acute respiratory disease, accompanied by a runny nose, cough, sore throat, fever.
- Sore throat. If the baby has a stuffy nose, he involuntarily opens his mouth to breathe, causing the nasopharynx to dry out.
To decide on further actions and the need for treatment, it is important to be able to recognize the type of cough as early as possible and find out the cause of its appearance.
How to distinguish cough during teething from SARS?
The most common symptoms of cutting cloves include a runny nose, a slight increase in body temperature and diarrhea. But coughing during teething is extremely rare. And it depends on its type whether it is a manifestation of a physiological process or a consequence of a developing viral disease.
Most often, coughing during teething in children is wet. It is accompanied by profuse salivation, as a result of which irritation appears on the skin around the mouth. Typically, such a cough goes away on its own without any special treatment.
With SARS, the symptoms of the disease are more pronounced. The child coughs much more often, an abundant amount of transparent secretion is separated from the nose, nasal breathing is difficult. The temperature may be elevated or normal. Along with this, shortness of breath and wheezing are often observed. Even a person without a medical education will be able to determine that the child has a respiratory infection.
When to see a doctor?
If the cough is wet and the baby turns out to cough, while breathing through the nose is not difficult, the temperature is not elevated and the mother is sure that the baby’s teeth are being cut, you can wait a while with the call of the pediatrician. As a rule, the process of teething lasts from two to five days. As soon as the teeth appear from the gums, all symptoms usually disappear on their own. All this time, it is necessary to closely monitor the condition of the baby, monitor its temperature and general well-being.
Even an experienced mother coughing during teething can easily be confused with SARS. Symptoms in these two processes really have a lot in common. So when do you need to see a doctor? Calling a specialist at home is mandatory in the following cases:
- with an increase in body temperature to 37 ° and above;
- if a wet cough lasts more than 5 days;
- with a deterioration in the well-being of the child.
The pediatrician will definitely conduct an examination of the child and, if necessary, prescribe treatment. But if the cough causes the mother a lot of anxiety, you can consult a doctor earlier to make sure that the baby’s teeth are actually being cut.
Teething cough duration
The fact that on the eve of the appearance of the first teeth in a child more saliva begins to be secreted is a fact. At this time, even the clothes have to be changed several times a day, so quickly it becomes wet. But there is no need to talk about irritation on the neck, chin and cheeks. But is there a cough when teething, not all mothers know, because this symptom is rare.
Much more often the baby is bothered by a runny nose, sometimes the temperature rises to 37-37.5 °. If cough is added to the indicated symptoms, do not panic in advance. Usually it goes away after 2-3 days with the appearance of the teeth. Special treatment is most often not required.
Teething runny nose
If coughing on the eve of the first teeth is a rare occurrence, then snot in babies during this period almost always appears. This is explained by the fact that the gums and nose have a single blood supply system. And this means that the development of the inflammatory process in one organ immediately leads to increased production of mucous secretions.
Usually a transparent secret is secreted from the nose, which passes simultaneously in the appearance of the teeth. If the color of the mucus has changed to yellow or green, this may indicate the attachment of a bacterial infection.
Since immunity is greatly reduced during the same period, a doctor may recommend taking antiviral drugs to prevent ARVI. According to many doctors, Viferon suppositories can be considered effective. To anesthetize the gums and relieve inflammation, you can give your child “Nurofen” or put candles “Viburkol”. Any prevention and treatment is carried out only on the recommendation of a doctor.
Do I need to treat a runny nose and cough when teething?
To alleviate the condition of the child during this period, first of all, you need to eliminate the common cold. It is the snot that flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx that irritates the mucous membrane and causes bouts of dry or wet cough. Therefore, the nasal passages of the child should be regularly cleaned and moisturized. To do this, it is recommended to purchase an aspirator or a small syringe. Use this device as follows:
- Squeeze air out of the syringe.
- Carefully insert the tip of the "pear" into one nostril, and hold the second with your finger.
- To unclench a hand squeezing a syringe. As the “pear” fills with air, it will begin to draw mucus from the nostrils.
- Similarly, the nostril should be cleaned on the other side.
Coughing and snot during teething often do not require special medication. But if the symptoms persist for 3-4 days, it is recommended to show the child to the doctor.
Cough Treatment Methods
First of all, you need to fight with a runny nose, because it is the cause of coughing. To cleanse the nose, you must regularly use a syringe or aspirator, and to moisten it with a special means based on sea water “Aquamaris” or homemade saline. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe vasoconstrictor drops to reduce swelling of the mucosa and facilitate nasal breathing.
But cough as such does not need to be treated. For children under two years of age, mucolytics (means that dilute sputum and remove it from the lungs) are prescribed in rare cases and under the special supervision of a doctor. And in some countries they are completely banned. Such drugs will definitely not give the expected effect, but there can be many complications from them.
Tips by Dr. Komarovsky
A well-known pediatrician gives the following recommendations regarding whether coughing is possible with teething and how it should be treated:
- Strictly follow all the recommendations of the doctor and do not try to treat the child yourself.
- If the pediatrician determines that the cough is associated with teething, most likely, he will not prescribe medication.
- Children for three years should not be treated with expectorant drugs, since they do not know how to cough up sputum.
- If a high temperature (above 38 ° C) joins the cough, it is most likely a viral infection.
- If on the eve of teething the child has already had ARVI, you should ask your doctor for a preventive treatment. In this situation, against the background of a weakened immunity, the child has great chances to “pick up” a new disease.
Parent feedback about the problem
This is what mothers say when asked whether teething can be accompanied by a cough.
- Even if the child does not have a cold, but saliva is plentifully secreted, he can cough quite strongly. In such cases, treatment is not prescribed, since it is guaranteed not to give the desired effect.
- If the child coughs, you should show it to your doctor. Only a specialist can, after listening to his lungs, make the correct diagnosis. There is no need to let the situation go by chance, because young children develop pneumonia very quickly against the background of reduced immunity.
- Cough from excessive salivation often appears during the day, and at night it is associated with the drainage of mucus through the nasopharynx. To prevent the baby coughing so much during sleep, it is recommended that his head be tilted.
- Regular ventilation of the room, wet cleaning, and rinsing of the nose with saline will help get rid of a runny nose and cough.
Thus, the question of whether there is a cough when teething, parents answer in the affirmative. But it’s not as scary as it might seem at first glance, and with proper care of the nose it passes quickly enough even without special treatment.