- 1. Excessive and prolonged crying
- 2. Gastroesophageal reflux
- 3. Virus infection
- 4. Respiratory allergy
- 5. Nodes in the vocal cords
- Home remedy for hoarseness in baby
- When to go to the doctor
The treatment of hoarseness in the baby can be done with simple measures such as comforting the baby when he is crying a lot and offering plenty of fluids during the day, as excessive and prolonged crying is one of the main causes of hoarseness in the baby.
However, hoarseness in the baby can also be a symptom of infections, usually respiratory, or other diseases such as reflux, allergies or nodules in the vocal cords, for example, and in these cases, treatment should be guided by a pediatrician or otolaryngologist and, it usually involves the use of medication or treatment with speech therapy.
1. Excessive and prolonged crying
This is the most common cause and it happens because excessive and prolonged crying can put pressure on the vocal cords, making the voice more hoarse and rough.
How to treat: stop the baby's crying, comforting him and offering plenty of fluids like milk, especially if he is breastfeeding, water and natural juices, which should not be too cold or too hot.
2. Gastroesophageal reflux
How to treat: consult your pediatrician or otorhinolaryngologist to guide the treatment, which may involve only a few precautions, such as using a wedge under the bed mattress and avoid lying the baby in the first 20 to 30 minutes after meals, or using medication, if necessary, prescribed by the pediatrician. Learn more at: How to care for a baby with reflux.
Reflux, which is the passage of food or acid from the stomach into the esophagus, can also be a cause of hoarseness in the baby, but with treatment and a decrease in reflux, the hoarseness disappears.
3. Virus infection
The baby's hoarse voice often occurs due to a virus infection, such as a cold, flu or laryngitis, for example. However, in these cases, hoarseness is temporary and usually resolves when the infection is treated.
How to treat: consult your pediatrician or otolaryngologist to prescribe antibiotics or antiviral drugs, according to the cause of the infection. Also, prevent the child from crying and offer plenty of fluids, neither too cold nor too hot.
4. Respiratory allergy
In some cases, hoarseness in the baby can be caused by irritating substances in the air such as dust, pollen, or hair, for example that cause allergy of the airways and, consequently, hoarse voice.
How to treat: avoid exposing the baby to allergens such as dust, pollen or hair, cleaning the baby's nose with saline or nebulisations, and offering plenty of fluids during the day. The pediatrician or otorhinolaryngologist may also prescribe antihistamines and corticosteroids, if the symptom does not improve. See other precautions to take in: Baby rhinitis.
5. Nodes in the vocal cords
The nodules in the vocal cords consist of thickening of the vocal cords, and are therefore similar to calluses. They are caused by tissue overload during excessive use of the voice, such as excessive or prolonged crying or crying.
How to treat: consult a speech therapist to do voice therapy, which consists of education and training in voice care. In some cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the nodules.
Home remedy for hoarseness in baby
A great home remedy for hoarseness is ginger tea, as this medicinal plant has an action that relieves irritation of the vocal cords, in addition to having antimicrobial properties that help eliminate microorganisms that may be causing an infection, for example.
However, this remedy should only be used on babies older than 8 months of age and with the permission of the pediatrician, since ginger can be aggressive to the stomach.
Ingredients
- 2 cm of ginger; 1 cup of boiling water.
Method of preparation
Slightly crush the ginger or make some cuts on its sides. Then add to the cup of boiling water and let stand for 10 minutes. Finally, when the tea is slightly warm, give 1 to 2 tablespoons for the baby to drink.
This remedy can be repeated between 2 to 3 times a day, according to the pediatrician's guidelines.
When to go to the doctor
It is important to consult your pediatrician or otorhinolaryngologist in cases where:
- the baby in addition to hoarseness, drools or has difficulty breathing; the baby is less than 3 months old; hoarseness does not go away in 3 to 5 days.
In these cases, the doctor recommends performing tests to identify the cause, make the diagnosis and guide the appropriate treatment.
