Parents, don’t fall for your baby’s ‘fake cough’ — experts say it's a trick to grab your attention

Babies love attention. A mother accurately summed up the fact by showing her infant’s attention-seeking tactics, and fellow parents can agree. TikTok mom Mami Marie (@mommy.marie33) posted a viral clip of her baby fake coughing to keep her from doing other things. Being an infant whose brain is still growing, the baby’s 'faking' performance took over the internet, while the comments were brimming with similar experiences. While there’s no doubt that fake coughs are pretty common in infants, experts suggest it is an indication of social development. 

The baby lay on their cozy bed as the mom filmed, well knowing it was time for the fake coughs. Seconds later, the little one theatrically coughs a few times and follows it up with fleeting grins. “We’re in the fake coughing when you want attention stage,” an overlay text on the video read. By the end, the baby tried their best to squeeze out a few more coughs as part of the act. When it did not happen, she flashed a little smile, content that their parents were fully invested in the baby again. The post went viral with 351,000 views and 26,000 likes. 

Fellow parents did not hesitate to share similar accounts of their babies putting up a dramatic show to get their attention. “Same like my baby. Kept doing her fake cough to play around with her dad,” said @nrlsabella and @hassanali1.1101 revealed, “My baby will stop it after seeing I’m recording her.” “My son is 3 months and stops and smiles when I say, ‘Why you faking?’ He knows it gets my attention right away when he fake coughs,” explained @deejayyxcm. In addition to fellow parents, even experts have weighed in on infant behavior. Peter Vishton, PhD, associate professor of psychological sciences at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, stated that this is a harmless and more of a “hilarious” tactic to get attention, and parents should provide them with it when they crave it, per Parents. 

"Around 6 months, when the fake coughing first begins, babies are really starting to get how the world works. Your child has noticed that when someone coughs, you're very solicitous, so [they're] doing it to get some attention,” said Vishton. In general, babies are instinctively curious about their surroundings. They like to learn by exploring, playing, and trying new things, and thus, mischief becomes a common part of their growth. The fake coughs are proof that a baby is becoming socially aware with age, a positive rather than a strange sign of their cognitive development.

Moreover, it is important for babies, typically about 3 months of age, to feel cared for. Meredith F. Small, Ph.D., professor emerita at Cornell University and author of a book on parenting, urged parents to “get in tune” with their baby, per another Parents report. Paying attention to your baby is a crucial part of helping them grow in a healthy environment. Whereas, neglect can leave them feeling negative emotions that may affect their mental well-being later in life. 

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