It's always upsetting to hear your little one coughing, especially in the middle of the night. Still, no matter how common this winter symptom is, it's helpful to know that it sounds worse than it usually is.
Cough is one of the most important defenses against respiratory diseases. During respiratory infections, mucus is secreted into the airways as part of the response to infection; coughing helps relieve it. The cough also provides valuable clues about your child's illness.
Stuffy and runny nose is not a major problem in babies older than 3 months. Small noses are easy to get clogged because there isn't much room there. There are over 200 different cold viruses and your baby has no immunity to them until you get them. The average adult experiences two to four colds per year. Imagine how many of these your delicate baby could develop!
However, a runny nose does not always mean a cold. Discovering that the snot coming out of your baby's nose is rainbow-colored can cause a lot of tension. But in the winter, when you step out into the cold air, your baby's nose tries to protect itself. It creates more mucus to keep their nose moist and free of particles.