I have a one week old niece thats coughing and her chest is filled with phlegm and she's experiencing constipation. what should we do?

?irritants?: Infants have narrow nasal passages & exposure to dust, fragrences, smoke & other irritants aggravates this.Baby tries to flush these out of the nose with mucous but this often ends as congestion & cough. The best rx is washing out the nose with saline & suctioning the remainder. Eliminate irritants from babies environment & this will happen less. If breast fed she can go a wk between poops.

About newborns: Newborns are vulnerable to many types of infections. If truly her "chest is filled with phlegm," she would be in the hospital on IV antibiotics, under close monitoring. Newborns need a doctor's examination for any unusual symptoms, and need lab tests when symptoms suggest a possible infection. The reason is that infections may spread quickly and overwhelm a newborn.

Mgt.: A consultation is available. Please see your pediatrician. At this age infections acquired during pregnancy and delivery should be considered.