Coughing is a conscious or reflexive action that lets you protect your respiratory tract from the harmful influences of irritating substances, infections and mucus. In most cases, when children cough, their bodies are successfully engaged in these protective activities. However, in some circumstances, excessive coughing in children indicates the presence of a health problem that requires medical care.
Normal Coughing
If your child has a cold or other viral upper respiratory tract infection, he may cough intermittently for brief periods of time as the illness runs its course, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology, or AAAAI. Children in daycare with no major health problems may experience as many as eight 10-day bouts of coughing and infection each year. If your child has a cough that lasts for more than two or three weeks, you should schedule an appointment with your child’s doctor to uncover any more serious causes that may be present.
Excessive Coughing
The AAAAI lists potential causes of persistent coughing in children that include allergies, asthma, sinus infection, acid reflux, inhalation of foreign bodies, environmental irritants such as tobacco smoke and air pollution, and bacterial infections in your child’s lower airways. Your child may also develop a persistent cough in the aftermath of a viral infection or a habitual cough that has no known underlying cause. Your child’s doctor will typically uncover the particular source of a cough using methods that include physical examination, allergy testing and tests designed to detect the presence of stomach acid in your child’s esophagus or throat.
Croup and Whooping Cough
Viral infections, allergies and nighttime temperature changes can trigger an inflammation of your child’s trachea and larynx called croup, according to the Nemours Foundation. The condition is characterized by a bark-like cough, and in younger children, associated swelling can trigger significant breathing difficulties. Your child may also develop excessive or abnormal coughing from a viral infection called pertussis, or whooping cough. You can identify this condition by the characteristic “whooping” sound that occurs on inhalation after a bout of coughing. Pertussis is highly contagious and can produce severe symptoms in children younger than 1.
Pneumonia and Vomiting
If your child has coughing associated with a body temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, he may have pneumonia, the Nemours Foundation explains. This is especially true if your child appears week or experiences rapid breathing. If you suspect pneumonia, see your child’s doctor immediately. In some cases, increased mucus output associated with colds or asthma may trigger vomiting during bouts of persistent coughing. Typically, this is not a concern unless vomiting continues for an extended period of time.
Treatment
Your child’s doctor will base treatments for excessive coughing on its underlying cause, the AAAAI reports. Most coughs are caused by viruses, the Nemours Foundation notes, and in these cases the illness must simply run its course. If coughing disturbs your child’s sleep, you may sometimes use a nonprescription cough medicine. However, you should not give cough medicine to a child younger than 4. Consult your child’s doctor for additional guidance and advice.
