A cough can be a sign of a viral infection like the common cold, which will go away on its own. Cough can also be a sign of a bacterial infection that might need antibiotics, like a sinus infection or pneumonia.
Come in to the doctor's office if…
- Your child is younger than 4 months old.
- Your child is coughing up blood or green or yellow mucus.
- The cough has lasted more than one week and is not getting better.
- Your child is cough so much it makes them vomit.
- Your child's ears are hurting or they are pulling on their ears.
- Your child's cough started after they choked on something, or you think they might have swallowed a small object like a toy.
- Your child is wheezing or has noisy breathing.
- Your child is having a hard time breathing or is breathing very fast.
- Your child has a fever and is not acting like their usual self, like being much more tired than usual.
