Coughing happens when nerve endings in the airways become irritated by allergens, medicines and medical conditions, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Although your child's cough might sound ghastly, it is an important reflex that will help keep his airways safe. In most cases coughing doesn't signal any serious medical problems but you should keep an eye on your child's symptoms.
Causes of an Acute Cough
Most children have brief periods of coughing as a result of upper respiratory tract infections such as colds. In fact healthy preschoolers in day care can have as many as eight 10-day viral respiratory tract infections with coughing each year, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, or AAAAI. Sometimes children choke on a small object such as food or a toy and the foreign body gets trapped in their airway and causes them to cough.
Causes of a Chronic Cough
Coughing that lasts over two weeks requires a doctor's visit, says the AAAAI. Common causes of chronic coughing are: asthma, nasal and sinus diseases, bacterial infections of their lower airways, inhaling irritants, post-viral irritation, acid reflux, habitual urges and inhaled toys or food that are still lodged in the airway.
When to Call the Doctor
Although most childhood coughs shouldn't be a source of concern, some symptoms should prompt you to call the doctor right away, according to KidsHealth.org, a site operated by the Nemours Foundation. Talk to your doctor if your child has any of the following: trouble breathing, rapid breathing, a blue or dusky color to her face or mouth, a high fever, a cough that sounds like "whooping," a cough with blood, a noisy sound when she breathes in or a wheezing sound when she breathes out. Also treat your child's illness as an emergency if she is under three months old and she has any fever or if she's three months old or younger and she has been coughing for more than a few hours, says KidsHealth.
Diagnosis
Your pediatrician may ask you to describe your child's cough and any other symptoms, so write down a few descriptors such as "lots of mucus," "barking" or "only at night" for his reference, suggests KidsHealth. He will probably also inquire about your child's medical history, ask whether anyone around your child smokes or if your child may have recently been exposed to any dust or fumes. He will then listen to your child's lungs and, if necessary, perform other tests such as chest or sinus X-rays, lung capacity tests and mucus exams, says the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Treatment and Remedies
Your pediatrician will likely not give your child antibiotics for a cough because most coughs aren't bacterial, says KidsHealth. If your child's cough is caused by a virus it will eventually disappear on its own. However, your pediatrician may recommend home remedies such as a cool-mist humidifier to help your child breathe, cool fluids to soothe your child's throat or honey to reduce nighttime coughing. She might also suggest an over-the-counter cough suppressant if your child is over four years old.
