Chronic Cough in Children

Acosta, Rigoberto MD
Bahna, Sami L. MD, DrPH

Rigoberto Acosta, MD, is Senior Fellow in Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Sami L. Bahna, MD, DrPH, is Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Chief of Allergy and Immunology Section, Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.

Address correspondence to Sami L. Bahna, MD, DrPH, Allergy and Immunology Section, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, 1501 Kings Highway, Shreveport, LA 71130; e-mail: [email protected].

Disclosure: The authors have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Pediatric Annals 43(8):p e176-e183, August 01, 2014. | DOI: 10.3928/00904481-20140723-07

Cough is probably the most common cause of seeking medical care in pediatric practice. Most acute cough is caused by infection and usually resolves within less than 4 weeks. If it lasts longer, it is considered chronic and deserves investigation to identify the underlying cause, which can be almost any of a wide variety of illnesses of the respiratory tract and certain extrathoracic conditions. This review provides an optimal approach for diagnosis through a skillful history taking, physical examination, and selection of appropriate tests. [Pediatr Ann. 2014;43(8):e176–e183.]