When should you worry about your child’s cough?

With children back in school and illness on the rise, the sounds of sickness, especially coughs, are becoming more common. For some kids, that cough may linger. As a parent, what should you do when your child’s cough doesn’t resolve after an illness?

“A cough is considered chronic when it has been present for six months or more,” explains Dr. Henry Schmidt, a pediatric pulmonologist at Advocate Children’s Hospital. “An important thing to keep in mind is that a cough doesn’t have to happen every day to be considered chronic.”

Dr. Schmidt says that while the most common cause of chronic cough among children is asthma, many things can be the culprit, including post-nasal drip from nasal allergies, gastroesophageal reflux, habit cough and chronic aspiration. Rarely, chronic cough may be a sign of chronic airway disease, such as cystic fibrosis.

“Chronic cough can be seen in any age group, but some diagnoses are more common depending on a child’s age,” he says. “For example, swallowing a foreign body is more common in toddlers than in teenagers. I frequently see chronic cough in children who start daycare or school for the first time and are exposed to many viral illnesses.”

Depending on the cause and associated risk factors, chronic cough may resolve on its own. But if it lasts for more than a few weeks or interferes with sleep, exercise or play, contact your child’s pediatrician.

“Getting into the history of a child’s cough and any other medical issues is very important,” says Dr. Schmidt. “Your doctor might advise a trial of medication depending on what they think it could be. This may include inhalers, acid-blocking medication, steroids, nasal spray and the occasional ‘tincture of time.’ When assessing a child, it’s important for parents and clinicians to pay attention to the things that help the chronic cough and those that don’t.”

Are you trying to find a pediatrician? Find one in Illinois or Wisconsin.