Many families experience their children not coughing or coughing very little during the day, but starting to cough a lot at night. This symptom causes many parents anxiety and seriously affects the sleep of the whole family. So why do children cough as soon as they lie down to sleep? What are the effective ways to treat a child's cough while sleeping? Let's find out with Ru9 in this article to help your child feel more comfortable!
1. Causes of children coughing in their sleep
1.1. Dry, low humidity air
Children are often put to sleep in air-conditioned rooms – an environment that is quite dry and has low humidity. The cause of a child's cough during sleep can be a reflex to excessively dry air. The cough gradually decreases at night as the child breathes more, making the air more humid.
1.2. Poor hygiene environment
Vietnam is a tropical monsoon country, so it is hot and humid almost all year round. Therefore, a child's sleeping environment is very prone to dirt from sweat, dust, bacteria, bed bugs, etc. A poorly hygienic environment is a common cause of children coughing while sleeping.
Additionally, if the family has dogs or cats or someone regularly smokes, it can also degrade air quality, causing nighttime coughing in children.
1.3. Allergy cough
Children often have very sensitive constitutions and are prone to allergies. A child may cough in their sleep due to allergies to weather, animal fur, or mattress materials. To be sure of the cause of your child's irritation, take them to a doctor for a specialized examination.
1.4. Children cough in their sleep due to sensitive receptors
During the day, children are often very active, and thanks to this, some mucus in their throats is expelled when they laugh and shout. At the same time, cough receptors are less sensitive during the day, so they cough less. Conversely, mucus accumulates in the child's throat during sleep, combined with sensitive receptors, causing them to cough in their sleep.
1.5. Children cough in their sleep due to acid reflux
A baby's stomach is small and often lies horizontally during sleep, combined with a short esophagus, making acid reflux very easy. Therefore, children cough as soon as they lie down. To overcome acid reflux and coughing during sleep, parents should avoid letting their child eat late.
1.6. Cough due to sinusitis
Sinusitis causes children to cough in their sleep because the respiratory mucosa lining the sinuses becomes inflamed, swollen, and produces more mucus. When the child sleeps, the mucus drains into the throat, causing them to cough frequently and intensely.
1.7. Pharyngitis
Almost all children have had pharyngitis. At night, the air is usually colder and drier, making the child's pharyngitis worse, leading to coughing during sleep. Pharyngitis is often accompanied by fever, headache, etc.
See also: Is it dangerous if a baby has a 39-degree fever but still sleeps well?
1.8. Baby coughs in sleep due to asthma
People with asthma are often very sensitive to environmental factors, weather, and allergens. When accidentally exposed to these substances, the bronchi will swell and produce more mucus. Therefore, the child wheezes, has difficulty breathing, and coughs a lot in their sleep.
1.9. Children cough at night due to sleeping position
If a child has mediastinal problems or laryngomalacia, they are very prone to airway narrowing when lying down to sleep. Parents should supplement their child with vitamin D and take them to the doctor if they experience cyanosis when coughing.
2. Effective ways to treat a child's cough while sleeping
Normally, a child's nighttime cough is nothing to worry about and will resolve on its own. They can stem from various reasons, such as common colds, asthma, acid reflux, or sinus infections. However, most coughs in children will subside after a few days, or at most a few weeks. Nevertheless, when a baby feels uncomfortable and coughs constantly, it can cause stress and sleeplessness for both you and your child.
Here are some effective ways to treat a child's cough during sleep: Use natural foods like honey, ginger, lemon, kumquat, pear, keep the body warm, clear the nose, drink plenty of warm water, increase humidity, raise the pillow, clean the environment, and eliminate irritants.
Keep your baby warm: Keeping your baby warm is an effective way to treat a child's cough during sleep if they are prone to sinusitis, pharyngitis, or asthma. Dress them in long-sleeved clothes and socks.
Clean your child's nose, suction their nose: If your child has a lot of runny nose, use a specialized syringe to suction their nose. Additionally, try to clear mucus with over-the-counter (OTC) saline to help your child breathe easier before bed. Put two to three drops of saline into each nostril a few times a day.
You should try to suction mucus from your child's nose before it irritates their throat and airways.
Give your baby plenty of warm water: The most effective and simplest way to treat a child's cough during sleep is to ensure they drink enough warm water to thin mucus and relieve the ticklish, itchy feeling in their throat. You can also combine warm water with anti-inflammatory, cough-reducing foods like honey or lemon.
Increase air humidity and maintain a temperature of 25°C: If the air in the room is dry, a cool-mist humidifier is an effective way to treat a child's cough during sleep. Another alternative is to run hot water in the bathroom until the air is steamy, then sit with your child in the steam for about 10 to 15 minutes.
If mothers are looking for a breathable mattress solution that still maintains moderate humidity for their children, check out Ru9's collection of Foam mattresses and Topper mattresses. With high-quality memory foam material, your baby's body will be supported, and they won't sweat while sleeping.
Elevate the child's head with a pillow: To reduce the amount of mucus accumulating at the back of the throat, you should let your child sleep with their head elevated. You can fold a towel as a pillow for infants or use a low pillow for children aged 1 year and older.
Pillows should be added for children over 1 year old to help elevate the head and improve breathing.
Avoid eating or drinking close to bedtime: If your child has acid reflux, do not let them feed or eat too close to bedtime. Slow digestion causes belching, acid reflux, throat irritation, and makes them prone to coughing during sleep.
Clean the environment around the child: To eliminate disease-causing bacteria, clean the environment around the child with soap and water or steam regularly. Additionally, an effective way to treat a child's cough during sleep is to wash their clothes, stuffed animals, blankets, and bedding. Don't forget to wash your hands frequently!
Eliminate irritants: Remove cigarette smoke and pet dander from around the child. Use an air purifier in the room with a HEPA filter and use allergy-proof mattress and pillow covers.
If you are concerned about your child's cough, make an appointment with a pediatrician for an accurate diagnosis.
Home remedies for a child's cough during sleep are not always effective. If your child has the following symptoms, take them to the doctor for timely treatment:
- Frequent, severe, and prolonged coughing for more than 1 week
- High fever, sweating
- Difficulty breathing, cyanosis
- Coughing up blood
- Refusing to eat, difficulty swallowing food
You may also be interested in: What is an anti-reflux pillow? How to choose an anti-reflux pillow for children
3. Completely natural and safe ways to treat a child's cough during sleep
3.1. Treating a child's cough with honey
For toddlers (aged 1 year and older), you can apply natural cough remedies passed down through generations, such as honey.
Honey has anti-inflammatory properties and can help thin mucus secretions in the throat, thus soothing coughs. For children aged 1 year and older, use 1 to 2 teaspoons before bed or during naps to reduce coughing. You can also combine it with other effective cough relief herbs such as ginger, lemon, kumquat, and chive leaves.
3.2. Treating a child's cough during sleep with ginger
Similar to honey, ginger has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, making it very useful in treating respiratory ailments such as pharyngitis and prolonged coughs.
Before bedtime, mothers should give their child warm milk with half a teaspoon of ginger juice added to warm the throat and reduce nighttime coughing. You can also give your child ginger-honey tea or bathe them with ginger water to reduce coughing during sleep.
3.3. Treating coughs in children with pears
Pears are sweet, cool fruits that have the effect of nourishing the lungs and expelling phlegm. Pears are used to treat dry coughs, persistent coughs, or coughs with phlegm.
To treat a child's cough during sleep, cut 1-2 pears into small pieces, cook them with 300g lotus seeds, rock sugar, and water until soft. It is recommended to eat both the pear and the broth for more effective cough relief.
3.4. Natural cough treatment with kumquat
Kumquats are sour fruits that have the effect of expelling phlegm and cleansing the lungs. Kumquats are effectively used to treat dry coughs, coughs with phlegm, tonsillitis, or hoarseness.
Natural cough remedy from kumquat: Cut 4-5 fresh kumquats in half, leaving the seeds, add 1-2 pieces of rock sugar to a bowl and steam for 20 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink 2-3 times a day to quickly relieve coughs.
3.5. Treating a child's cough with lemon
Similar to kumquat, lemon is a fruit rich in vitamin C, which supports antibacterial action, boosts immunity, and helps treat dry coughs and persistent coughs.
To treat a cough with lemon, mix lemon juice with warm water, add 1-2 spoons of honey, and consume before it gets cold.
In summary, most coughs will clear up within three weeks. If your child's cough lasts longer than 10 to 14 days, see a doctor for a diagnosis. Once the cause is clear, you can find more effective home remedies.
See more:
- How to mix and drink ginger honey water before bed to reduce coughing in children
- Should children with fever be covered with a blanket? What to do when your child has a high fever
- What to do when a child has a fever while sleeping? How to quickly and safely reduce fever for your child
- Is it dangerous if a baby sweats a lot on their head and back while sleeping?
- Why a baby with a 39-degree fever still sleeps well and what parents should do?
- List of folk tips to help children sleep soundly
