What Should Mucus in a Baby’s Throat Sound Like And Why Do Babies Have It?
During the first few months of life, babies breathe through their noses. When they are feeding the majority of the time, this is helpful! The mucus prevents pathogens from entering and keeps their throats and nostrils from drying out.
However, occasionally the mucus can build up or become thicker than usual for them.
When breathing, your baby may gurgle more frequently than usual or sound congested. Mucus can occasionally give the impression that your infant is breathing or snoring noisily while they sleep.
What Results In Too Much Mucus?
For several reasons, infants are more susceptible to colds and congestion than older kids.
Their small size and even smaller nasal passages quickly become blocked. Additionally, their immune systems are still developing and learning how to defend them against pathogens.
Your baby’s body will produce more mucus if a germ or anything else irritates their delicate airways. This is meant to help trap and shield them from whatever is causing their throat and nose to itch.
Common triggers of mucus in babies include:
- Cigarette smoke
- Pollutants
- Viruses, and other germs
- Chemicals
- Changes in the weather
Additional mucus than usual can also result from the following:
- Allergens
- Viral diseases such as the flu or cold
- Asthma[1]
- Pneumonia [2]
- Bronchiolitis [3]
- Rarely, a more serious condition like cystic fibrosis [4] can be the reason of an infant’s excessive mucus
- Congestion in the throat and chest.