Coughing is a reflex used to clear airways that can be a sign of serious infection. A chronic cough is one that lasts from one to eight weeks or longer. A multitude of conditions can cause chronic coughing. Some of these conditions are infectious,...
A cough in a child can cause worry for parents. An occasional cough is usually not a problem. Coughing protects your child's body by removing mucus, irritating substances and infections from the respiratory tract. A prolonged or chronic cough,...
Coughing is a common childhood ailment considered chronic when it lasts for more than two weeks, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Most of the time the cause of a chronic cough in kids can be pinpointed, and...
Your child may catch several colds and upper respiratory infections each year, each causing dry or productive coughing. If she does not have the symptoms of a cold, however, and seems to be coughing frequently, she may have a health condition such...
Your child's cough isn't always a cause for alarm. Coughing is actually a helpful reflex that protects your child by getting rid of infections, mucus and irritants, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, or the...
Cough is the body's response to the presence of irritants in the lungs. When your child gets something in his lungs, he needs to cough to rid his body of the substance. If you have given him an over-the-counter cough medication with no relief, he...
Coughing is one of the most common reasons a child is brought to a doctor, according to Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. There are many possible causes of a cough in children. The most common reasons are viral respiratory tract infections,...
A child can develop a chronic cough if he suffers from a condition such as allergy or asthma. In addition, a lung infection like bronchitis can trigger a lingering cough. You must call a pediatrician if your child's cough lasts longer than three...
Young children can pick up any and every bug, germ, cough, and sniffle that comes their way. When a child suffers from persistent, habitual coughing, it can cause real problems --- even if the cough itself isn't a major health threat. Coughing may...
Postnasal drip is the sensation of accumulated or dripping mucus from the back of the nose. Chronic postnasal drip persists longer than two months and often occurs in conjunction with allergies, chronic sinusitis or gastroesophageal reflux...
The Mayo Clinic says that a chronic cough refers to a cough that actually lasts for eight weeks or longer. A chronic cough may be accompanied with such symptoms as a runny nose, burning in the chest and shortness of breath. In fact, a chronic...
Cough is a common symptom in children. According to the Nemours Foundation, coughing is an important reflex that helps protect the airways and the lungs from infection and aspiration of foreign materials or solid foods. Coughing can also be a...
Toddlers with asthma have an inflammation in the airways and produce large amounts of thick mucus. They also tend to be hypersensitive to things such as dust, exercise, smoke or pollen, and may have food allergies as well. The hypersensitivity can...
There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke for anyone. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke because they breathe faster than adults and their bodies are still developing. The American Cancer Society...
A chronic cough, a cough that lasts more than three to four weeks, is a common symptom of postnasal drip, asthma and acid reflux. According to the Mayo Clinic, smoking is a leading risk factor for a chronic cough. Though your doctor may prescribe...
Mucinex is an over-the-counter medication that can be used to alleviate chest congestion. This medication contains the active ingredient guaifenesin, an expectorant that works by decreasing the thickness of chest mucus. Certain people should not...
Asthma is a condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways in the lungs. Children with asthma cane exhibit several symptoms, including cough. The cough in childhood asthma is often dry and rattling, and if persistent, can indicate...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking is responsible for one in five deaths each year. You may already know that smoking causes health risks such as an increased chance of developing several types of cancer...
Childhood asthma has become more of a problem over the past several decades and now affects approximately 6 million children in the United States, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Asthma is characterized by inflammation...
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects children, teens and adults. This respiratory disorder causes difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and other symptoms. Asthma occurs when the smooth muscle lining of the bronchial tube...
Acid reflux--also called gastroesophageal reflux disease--is a common condition caused by a malfunctioning lower esophageal sphincter. In some cases, the sphincter does not close properly. In others, it opens spontaneously. The result of the...
The symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, known as GERD, are provoked by leaking of stomach contents into the esophagus, according to the American Gastroenterological Association. GERD is diagnosed when symptoms are suffered more than twice...
Childhood asthma affects almost five million children in the United States, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Children who have asthma may miss school or other activities if their symptoms are not carefully controlled. While...
Primary ciliary dyskinesia, or PCD, is a relatively rare condition of the lungs. It causes cough and wheezing in children. Breathing problems often begin to occur right after birth without an evident cause. PCD is an inherited condition that...
Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, weakens the immune system, leaving the body unable to effectively fight such diseases as cancer and pneumonia. Approximately 40 million people worldwide had HIV in 2008, according to the Mayo Clinic, and they...
Allergies and asthma are two common childhood disorders. They are both conditions that are mediated by the immune system, and allergies can trigger asthma in many children. Asthma, according to the American Lung Association, is one of the primary...
The Ricola company is most well-known as a maker of cough drops, but the cough aid was not the company's original product. The Swiss company started as a bakery in 1924. It wasn't until the 1940s that the company's honor perfected a mix of herbs...
We have all had a cold or flu that has lingered with that dry hacking cough that never seems to go away. It is painful and makes laying down to sleep miserable and impossible. The dry, unproductive cough can cause muscle spasms, pain in the...
According to Merck Manual Online, the coughing reflex is as complicated as it is necessary. Its protective function assists in the healing of the lungs by bringing up phlegm and clearing out inhaled particles. Infectious organisms, allergens and...
If your chest starts to feel sore and you develop a cough followed by the chills or a slight fever, you just might have bronchitis. Bronchitis is a condition that occurs when the inner walls that line the main air passageways of your lungs become...
