Cough

Acute cough in children is usually caused by viral upper respiratory tract infections, which are self-limiting. There is no good evidence of effectiveness of over-the-counter cough medicines in acute cough, and they can cause serious harm in children. (13) • Based on consensus, in children 14 years and younger, chronic cough is defined as the presence of daily cough for at least 4 weeks. (1) • Strong evidence supports using a systematic approach, including a detailed history, thorough physical examination, and assessment of specific cough pointers, to guide the diagnosis, testing, and management of children with chronic cough. (1) • Protracted bacterial bronchitis can be diagnosed in children with chronic wet cough without signs of an alternative cause who have resolution of cough after 2 to 4 weeks of treatment with an appropriate oral antibiotic. (30) • In children with chronic cough, management must be based on the etiology of the cough. Based on strong research evidence, the use of pediatric-specific cough management algorithms improves clinical outcomes. (18).