Cough, chronic in children

Question 1

Probability diagnosis

Answer 1

Common causes are:

Asthma

Recurrent viral bronchitis

Acute URTIs

Allergic rhinitis

Croup

Question 2

Serious disorders not to be missed

Answer 2

1. Asthma
2. Cystic fibrosis
3. Inhaled foreign body
4. Tracheo-oesophageal fistula
5. Bronchiolitis; pneumonia, whooping cough

Several clinicians describe the catarrhal child syndrome as the commonest cause of cough.

This refers to children who develop a postnasal drip following acute respiratory infection and allergic rhinitis.

Most children with recurrent cough do not have asthma.

Question 3

Chronic cough: age-related causes to consider

Answer 3

Early months of life

• Milk inhalation/reflux
• Asthma
• Acute viral bronchiolitis

Toddler/preschool child

• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Whooping cough
• (pertussis)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Croup
• Foreign body inhalation
• Tuberculosis
• Bronchiectasis

Early school years

• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Mycoplasma pneumonia

Adolescence

• Asthma
• Psychogenic
• Smoking