What are the causes of hoarseness in infants?

A variety of causes: Hoarseness in infants can be from a variety of causes. Babies can have reflux and chronic irritation of the airway from the spitting up can cause hoarseness. Viral illness can cause short-term hoarseness. Some babies are born with a paralyzed vocal cord. Babies can have papillomas on their vocal cords (especially if the mother had known genital warts at some time in her life).

Vocal Cord Problem: Persistent hoarseness in a newborn is not considered normal and should always be checked out by a pediatrician and possibly a specialist. It can be caused by problems with the vocal cord themselves, with the part of the brain that controls the vocal cords, by "floppy" cartilage in the windpipe or by a mass pushing on the area of the vocal cords.