Cough in the Pediatric Population

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Cough in the Pediatric Population
Alan B. Goldsobel, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI and Bradley E. Chipps, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI, FCCP
Cough is the most common presenting symptom for
medical office visits in the United States. Cough in
children is usually related to viral respiratory tract in-
fection and typically resolves spontaneously. Between 35%
and 40% of school-age children still cough 10 days after the
onset of a common cold, and 10% of preschool children
have cough 25 days after respiratory tract infection.
1
In chil-
dren, cough has been associated with environmental factors,
such as outdoor and indoor air pollution, including particu-
late matter, irritant gases, environmental tobacco smoke
exposure, and dampness in the home.
2
The frequent presen-
tation of cough in children is further complicated by studies
documenting that parental reporting of cough in children
correlates poorly with objective measurement of frequency,
duration, or intensity of cough.
3
Cough in children disrupts
both the parent’s and the child’s daily activities and can be
associated with impaired quality of life in the child and signif-
icant stress in parents that improves with cough resolution.
4
It is extremely common for parents to treat children with
over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medications
(CCMs) before seeing a health care provider. In a recent sur-
vey, approximately 10% of US children were found to be re-
ceiving an OTC CCM in any given week. Although OTC
CCMs receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ap-
proval for adults, testing for efficacy and safety in young chil-
dren has not been adequate,
5
and inappropriate use of CCMs
in children has been documented.
6
Adverse events associated
with use of OTC CCMs do occur and rare infant deaths have
been reported. In January 2008, the FDA issued a public
health advisory regarding OTC CCM use in children ques-
tioning safety and efficacy and whether the clinical benefits
justify potential risks;
7
it now recommends avoiding these
medications in children under age 2 years. The FDA also
has supported the recent recommendation by the Consumer
Health Product Association to avoid OTC CCM use in chil-
dren under age 4 years. An American Academy of Pediatrics
(AAP) position statement questions the efficacy and safety of
these medications in children under age 6 years.
The Cough Reflex
Cough is a protective reflex, a component of normal respira-
tory physiology that enhances mucociliary function and
clears excessive secretions and airway debris from the respira-
tory tract, as well as a very common symptom of respiratory
disease. Cough receptors are located in the respiratory tract
from the larynx to the segmental bronchi.
8
The cough reflex
has vagal afferent input, brain stem centralization with
cortical modulation, and motor efferent activity involving
respiratory muscles. Cough reflex sensitivity (CRS) can be
modulated either by disease or pharmacologically. Up-
regulation of CRS causes triggering of cough from a relatively
nonspecific provocation. Heightened CRS has been demon-
strated following viral respiratory tract infections
9
(postviral
or postinfectious cough), as well as in asthma, gastroesopha-
geal reflux disease (GERD), and angiotensin-converting
enzyme inhibitor therapy. The prevalence of CRS is similar
in prepubertal and early pubertal girls and boys but signifi-
cantly higher in postpubertal girls and adult women. Using
mechanical stimulation, cough can be elicited in 10% of
27-week gestational age preterm infants and up to 90% of
full-term infants.
10
Defining Cough in Children
Children cough differently from adults in terms of duration,
presentation, and underlying causes. The classification of
cough in children reflects these differences.
Normal or Expected Cough
‘‘Normal’’ children cough. According to objective measure-
ments, healthy school-age children (mean age, 10 years; no
respiratory illness in the 4 weeks before the study) typically
experience 10 or 11 (and as many as 34) cough episodes/
From the Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine,
Stanford, CA (A.G.); Allergy and Asthma Associates of Northern California, San Jose,
CA (A.G.); and Capital Allergy and Respiratory Disease Center, Sacramento, CA
(B.C.)
A.G. is supported by grants from Aerovance, Altana/Nycomed, Capnia, Clinsys,
GSK, Johnson & Johnson, Lev Pharmaceuticals, MAP, Schering Plough, and UCB.
A.B. serves as a speaker/consultant for Astra Zeneca, Meda, and Merck and
received stock options from Apeiron. B.C. is supported by grants from Alcon, Sa-
nofi-Aventis, Genentech, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Schering
Plough, Sepracor, and Merck; serves as a consultant for Alcon, Sanofi-Aventis,
Genentech, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, MedPointe, Novartis, Schering Plough,
Sepracor, and Merck; and serves on the speaker’s bureau for Alcon, Sanofi-Aventis,
Genentech, Astra-Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, MedPointe, Novartis, Schering
Plough, Sepracor, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Pfizer.
0022-3476/$ - see front matter. Copyright ª2010 Mosby Inc.
All rights reserved. 10.1016/j.jpeds.2009.12.004
AAP American Academy of Pediatrics
ACCP American College of Chest Physicians
BAL Bronchoalveolar lavage
CCM Cough and cold medications
CF Cystic fibrosis
CRS Cough reflex sensitivity
CT Computed tomography
FDA Food and Drug Administration
FeNO Fraction of exhaled nitric oxide
GERD Gastroesophageal reflux disease
ICS Inhaled corticosteroids
OTC Over the counter
PBB Protracted bacterial bronchitis
UACS Upper airway cough syndrome
352

day.
11
Sometimes these ‘‘normal’’ cough episodes are pro-
longed or nocturnal, triggering parental concerns about dis-
comfort and disturbed sleep. Recurrent viral respiratory
infections are common in children, particularly in the fall
and winter. These may appear to cause persistent cough,
but usually the child experiences short breaks between ill-
nesses. Postinfectious cough in normal children may have
multiple causes, including heightened CRS. Less than 5%
of coughs persisting >8 weeks are believed to be postinfec-
tious (other than pertussis syndromes).
12
Abnormal Cough
Abnormal cough in children includes cough associated with
underlying disease states, as well as ineffective cough from
underlying neuromuscular weakness or structural airway ab-
normalities. Abnormal cough in children can be classified by
duration (acute vs chronic); character, quality, and timing
(eg, dry vs wet, day vs night); age of child; and etiology (spe-
cific vs nonspecific). Overlap among the different categories
can make classifying abnormal pediatric cough confusing. To
aid in the diagnosis and treatment of the coughing child, the
following questions may be helpful:
1. How long has the child coughed? Most adult studies
and consensus guidelines define cough as acute (<3
weeks), subacute (3 to 8 weeks) or chronic (>8
weeks).
13
Most acute and subacute coughs in adults
and children are associated with viral upper respiratory
tract infection and do not require specific diagnostic
evaluation. The definition of chronic or persistent
cough in children varies, ranging from 3 to 12 weeks
depending on the study or guideline.
14,15
2. What is the character of the cough? The character or
quality of chronic cough in adults has been shown to
be not helpful in predicting specific etiology, and the
2006 American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP)
guidelines recommend it not be used in determining
etiology in adults.
13
In contrast, the character or quality
of cough in some children is recognizable and repro-
ducible, and may suggest a specific etiology (Table I).
3. Is the cough wet or dry? A moist or wet cough in chil-
dren is associated with secretions detected on bron-
choscopy and can be accurately reported by clinicians
and parents.
16
The descriptor ‘‘wet’’ or ‘‘moist’’ cough
may be used interchangeably with ‘‘productive’’ cough,
even though young children rarely expectorate despite
excessive secretions. A recent cross-sectional survey of
more than 2000 children age 11 to 15 years found
a 7.2% prevalence of chronic productive cough.
17
Chronic productive cough was strongly associated
with reports of current asthma symptoms and with en-
vironmental tobacco smoke exposure, although spe-
cific causes were not investigated.
17
A recent review
of chronic wet cough in children without cystic fibrosis
(CF) found that the majority of the children had an
endobronchial bacterial infection.
18
Chronic wet
cough is very rare in children with uncomplicated
asthma. Sinusitis with or without asthma also may
cause a wet cough that is responsive to antibiotic ther-
apy. Chronic cough with purulent sputum in children
is always pathological, calling for specific assessment
for such conditions as CF, non-CF bronchiectasis,
and ciliary dysmotility syndromes.
4. Is the cough nocturnal? Nocturnal cough is often cited
a hallmark of asthma; however, most objective studies
have not confirmed this finding, and parental reporting
of nocturnal cough is unreliable compared with objec-
tive measurements.
3,19
As such, other causes of cough
should be considered as well. Cough generally is sup-
pressed by sleep, and habit cough most characteristi-
cally ceases at night.
20
5. How old is the child? Age at onset of cough is impor-
tant diagnostically; in infants and younger children,
greater consideration must be given to anatomic ab-
normalities of the upper and lower respiratory tracts
and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, as well as possible
foreign body aspiration (Table I).
In children, as in adults, cough is subject to psychological
influences.
13
Habit cough is more commonly recognized in
children.
20
Age also may play a role in the etiology of chronic
cough in children. Studies with younger children demon-
strate different causes of chronic cough compared with those
with predominately older children and teens, who have sim-
ilar causes as adults.
21-23
Etiology of Abnormal Pediatric Cough
A previously proposed diagnostic paradigm of specific versus
nonspecific cough in children forms the basis of the approach
to evaluation and treatment in the 2006 ACCP guide-
lines.
13,24
Specific cough is associated with underlying respi-
ratory or systemic disease, and the need for further
investigation is typically evident from coexisting symptoms
Table I. Traditional recognizable cough characteristics
at various ages
Cough characteristic Possible etiology
Infancy
Barking or brassy Croup, tracheomalacia/other anatomic
abnormalities of respiratory or GI tract
Dry, staccato Chlamydophilia
Wet PBB, sinusitis
Childhood
Barking or brassy Croup
Spasmodic/paroxysmal
(with or without whoop)
Pertussis-like syndrome
Wet (with or without
produced sputum)
PBB/sinusitis
Adolescence
Barking/honking Habit/psychogenic
Spasmodic/paroxysmal
(with or without whoop)
Pertussis-like syndrome
Wet (with or without
produced sputum)
Pneumonia/PBB/sinusitis
Modified with permission.
13
Vol. 156, No. 3 March 2010
353

and signs, radiographs, and laboratory results (Table II;
available at www.jpeds.com). A frequent (daily) wet cough
is the best clinical marker of the presence of a specific cough.
Chronic dyspnea and hemoptysis are also historical predic-
tors of specific cough, as are abnormal chest x-ray and aus-
cultation findings.
Nonspecific cough is defined as cough in the absence of
other signs and symptoms (Table II). Nonspecific cough is
‘‘isolated’’ cough; that is, cough is the sole or predominant
symptom and typically is dry. In many cases, nonspecific
cough is related to postviral infection and increased cough re-
ceptor sensitivity.
25
Resolution is spontaneous in the major-
ity of children.
26
Specific and nonspecific coughs may have various over-
lapping causes. In adults, prospective studies have shown
that >90% of chronic (>8 weeks) nonspecific coughs can
be attributed to 3 predominant causes: upper airway cough
syndrome (UACS, previously referred to as postnasal drip
syndrome), asthma or eosinophilic bronchitis, and
GERD.
13
Similar data in children are limited. A prospective
study in highly selected young children (median age, 2.6
years) referred to a tertiary pediatric respiratory center indi-
cated that UACS, asthma, and GERD accounted for <10% of
persistent cough, although 50% of the children had received
a diagnosis of asthma before referral.
21
Wet cough was pres-
ent in 89% of the children, with a median duration of 6
months. Onset in the first year of life occurred in 62%;
environmental tobacco smoke exposure was identified in
43%. The primary cause of cough in this cohort was pro-
tracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB), diagnosed in 40%.
21
The results based on this young tertiary referral population
may not be representative of the general pediatric popula-
tion, however.
A retrospective observational report on chronic cough in
young children (mean age, 3 years, 9 months) referred to
a European respiratory center also documented PBB as the
most common diagnosis.
27
A recent prospective study from
the United States in older children (mean age, 9.2 years)
with chronic cough (persisting for >8 weeks) with no ciga-
rette smoke exposure found similar diagnoses as reported
in adult studies: UACS (23%), GERD (28%), asthma
(13%) and multiple etiologies (20%).
22
A specific cause was
found in 90% of cases. Another recent study of similar-
aged children (mean age, 8.4 years) presenting to a children’s
hospital in Turkey found that the most common causes of
cough persisting for >8 weeks were asthma (25%), PBB
(23%), UACS (20%), and GERD (5%).
23
The differences in
results may reflect differences in patient age as well as in
the study populations (Table III; available at www.jpeds.
com).
Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis
Defined as chronic wet cough, positive bronchoalveolar la-
vage (BAL), and resolution with antibiotic therapy, PBB is
poorly characterized, and data suggest that it is underdiag-
nosed and often misdiagnosed as asthma.
27
Bronchoscopy
typically reveals an intense neutrophilic airway inflammatory
response.
28
The most common organisms implicated are
Streptococcus pneumoniae,Haemophilus influenzae, and Mor-
axella catarrhalis. A reasonable alternative approach to avoid
invasive bronchoscopy is a trial of antibiotics (eg, amoxicillin
and clavulanate for 2 weeks),
21
but this may not allow for
a definitive diagnosis. Adaptive immune function is normal
in these children, but preliminary data have shown a marked
inflammatory mediator response in BAL fluid and innate im-
mune system activation.
28
Further studies of immune system
abnormalities in these children are needed.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
GERD is common in infants and children, and aspiration
with swallowing in the absence of GERD also may cause
cough and other respiratory symptoms in infants.
29
Al-
though a high percentage of children with respiratory symp-
toms have GERD detectable by abnormal esophageal pH,
symptoms may be subtle, especially in young children,
30
and the specific association between GERD and cough
remains controversial.
31
A positive response to empiric
therapy with thickened feedings in infants and an acid-sup-
pressive regimen may be used to support a presumed diag-
nosis of GERD,
32
but lack of cough resolution can be seen
with nonacid reflux detectable by impedance measure-
ment.
33
The diagnoses of GERD or asthma are not mutually
exclusive, particularly in older children.
30,34
As many as half
of children with asthma and abnormal esophageal pH ex-
hibit few or no obvious symptoms of GERD (eg, heartburn,
regurgitation).
30
Habit Cough Syndrome
Recognizing habit cough and other functional respiratory
disorders, such as vocal cord dysfunction and hyperventila-
tion/sighing dyspnea, is important in pediatric patients.
Habit cough, also known as ‘‘psychogenic cough,’’ may be
mistaken for asthma, UACS, or another cause of chronic
cough. Weinberger et al
34
used the term ‘‘pseudoasthma’’
to describe this and other organic and nonorganic disorders
misdiagnosed as asthma. The usual presentation of habit
cough is a harsh, dry, often honking repetitive cough occur-
ring intermittently throughout the day, often with great fre-
quency. Even though the cough sounds annoying, the child is
usually unperturbed (‘‘la belle indifference’’). Yet the cough is
often very disturbing to parents, teachers, and other care-
givers and may lead to school and social disruption. Charac-
teristically, there is significant improvement with distraction
and absence when asleep. The cough is generally reproducible
on request.
Habit cough may evolve following upper respiratory tract
infection, with an initial brief, wet cough developing into the
more characteristic dry, barking cough. The reported fre-
quency of psychosomatic or psychological problems in these
patients varies widely; most pediatric patients do not exhibit
severe psychopathology. Habit cough occasionally may be
difficult to differentiate from tic disorders, even though the
vocalization characteristic of Tourette syndrome is usually
not present.
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354 Goldsobel and Chipps

Evaluating Chronic Cough in Children
There are no historical features of cough that provide a clear
diagnosis in most cases of pediatric chronic, nonspecific
cough. Rather than applying a comprehensive battery of tests
for chronic cough in all children, most clinicians use clinical
pointers in the history and physical examination to target the
investigation.
The recommended evaluation of chronic cough is outlined
in Figure 1. A trial of pharmacotherapy is often used as a di-
agnostic modality, although spontaneous resolution of
cough can necessitate multiple trials to pinpoint the etiology.
Recommendations are based primarily on expert opinion,
due to the lack of controlled pediatric studies. Thus, the du-
ration of pharmacotherapy trials is empiric, but premature
discontinuation can lead to lack of resolution. Children
with a prolonged moist cough should be treated initially
with an antibiotic for possible PBB or chronic sinus disease.
Recurring wet cough after initial clearing with antibiotic
treatment is often seen in inadequately treated sinusitis. For
children with dry cough, a trial of inhaled corticosteroids
(ICS) will address the possible diagnosis of asthma. Certain
focused diagnostic tests may be helpful in patients in
whom the diagnosis is not secured by history and physical ex-
amination, as well as in patients with specific chronic cough
(Figure 2). Referral to an allergy or pulmonary specialist also
is recommended, as shown in Figure 2.
A chest x-ray should be obtained in all children with
chronic cough. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan
without contrast is requisite to support a diagnosis of bron-
chiectasis or interstitial lung disease. In patients with con-
comitant persistent upper airway symptoms, a limited CT
scan of the sinuses is most helpful when normal to rule out
intrinsic sinus disease.
35
The results must be interpreted care-
fully, because abnormal sinus scans are not uncommon in
asymptomatic children.
36
Spirometry can be performed in most children age >6 years
and in some age >3 years with training.
13
Spirometry with
a bronchodilator demonstrating reversible airway obstruction
(>12% improvement in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec-
ond) is helpful in suggesting a diagnosis of asthma. When spi-
rometry is normal, more advanced tests are needed to aid
diagnosis. Measurements of airway hyperreactivity, such as
the methacholine challenge test, are most helpful when nega-
tive; however, a positive airway hyperreactivity test does not
necessarily confirm asthma or predict response to therapy.
In patients with abnormal pulmonary function who do not re-
spond to a bronchodilator or ICS, bronchiectasis, aspiration,
interstitial lung disease, chronic infection, structural airway
abnormalities, and cardiac etiologies should be considered.
Measurement of airway inflammation is most reliably per-
formed with induced sputum samples. The findings of >2%
eosinophils per high-power field is helpful in supporting a di-
agnosis of asthma and predicting a response to ICS.
37
The
measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is helpful
when normal. Kostikas et al
38
recently reported FeNO values
>19 ppb in young adults as a cutoff point to support a diag-
nosis of asthma. Similar results have been reported in chil-
dren. FeNO has been shown to predict response to ICS in
adults with chronic cough.
39
Chronic cough in children
with no history of wheezing, reversible airflow obstruction,
or elevated markers of airway inflammation does not support
a diagnosis of asthma.
Laboratory studies for chronic cough in children are sup-
portive and can be used to help rule out an infectious
CXR, spirometry abnormal?
Sx and signs of
respiratory disease?
Is cough characteristic?
NON-SPECIFIC COUGH
1. Watch, wait, review
•Usually post-infectious
2. Evaluate
•Tobacco smoke
•Environmental exposures
•Child’s activity
•Parent concerns, expectations
3. Treat obvious illness
Yes
No
No
No
EVALUATE FOR
SPECIFIC COUGH
Discuss options with parents
Review in 1-2 wk
Sx and signs suggest
specific cough
Resolving, resolved Persistent cough
Watch, wait, reviewTrial of therapy
Dry cough:
ICS 4 wk
Wet cough:
Antibiotic 10 -21 d
(Figure 2)
Yes
Yes
Figure 1. Algorithm for evaluating chronic cough in children.
Modified with permission.
13
SPECIFIC COUGH
Bronchiectasis or recurrent pneumonia
Aspiration
Chronic or less common infections
Interstitial lung disease
Airway abnormality
Other less common pulmonary conditions
Cardiac disease
Assess risk factors for:
Reversible airway
obstruction or elevated
eNO ?
Yes
No
ASTHMA
Confirm with 4 wk trial
of medication
Investigations as outlined
or
Consider referral to
allergy or pulmonary
specialist
Figure 2. Algorithm for evaluating specific chronic cough in
children. Modified with permission.
13
March 2010 MEDICAL PROGRESS
Cough in the Pediatric Population 355

etiology, CF, and immunodeficiency. Quantitative immuno-
globulins should be measured in all children with persistent
cough secondary to recurrent bacterial infections. Flexible
bronchoscopy may be used to detect the presence of airway
abnormalities, chronic infection, or aspiration with or with-
out retained foreign body; however, bronchoscopy has not
been shown to be useful in adults with chronic cough.
40
A
pH probe study to diagnose GER with or without aspiration
may be helpful; impedance studies to assess nonacid reflux
are increasingly recommended.
33
Treating Pediatric Cough
Children with chronic cough need a different management
protocol than adults. Cough in children should be treated ac-
cording to etiology; however, for chronic nonspecific cough,
empiric trials of therapy are frequently used. There is little ev-
idence to support the use of medications for symptomatic re-
lief only in acute cough.
13
OTC Cough Medications
The published data indicate that OTC cough medications
have little, if any, clinical benefit beyond the placebo effect
for symptom relief in children.
41
The AAP has advised against
using dextromethorphan (as well as codeine) for treating any
type of cough.
42
These medications have been associated with
significant morbidity and rarely mortality related to inten-
tional and unintentional ingestion.
5,6
Asthma Therapy
Therapy for cough associated with asthma is similar to rou-
tine guideline therapy for asthma based on age.
43
It is impor-
tant that the diagnosis of asthma be established, because there
are no data to support the empiric use of beta-adrenergic
bronchodilators, anticholinergics, theophylline, or leukotri-
ene modifiers for chronic, nonspecific cough in children.
13
An empiric trial of ICS is recommended in children with
an isolated, dry cough for possible asthma. A moderate
dose of ICS (200 to 400 mg/day fluticasone, 400 to 800 mg/
day budesonide or equivalent) is recommended; the use of
spacers or nebulizers depends on the patient’s age and ability.
Recommendations for the duration of therapeutic trials vary
from 2 to 12 weeks. Most patients will respond within 4 weeks
if proper inhalation technique is used. The presence of more
than one cause of cough may delay the response to therapy if
all causes are not treated appropriately. It is important to pe-
riodically reassess therapy and discontinue it in patients who
do not respond. By itself, a response to ICS does not confirm
a diagnosis of asthma. Anticholinergic bronchodilators with
or without beta agonist have shown limited benefit in pa-
tients with cough, and may have some benefit in postinfec-
tious cough.
44
Therapy for UACS
UACS includes various types of rhinosinus diseases that can
induce cough, particularly allergic or nonallergic rhinitis and
sinusitis. Tonsillar hypertrophy, causing tissue impingement
on the epiglottis, also has been reported to cause chronic
cough in children.
34
Unlike in adults, in children antihista-
mines (administered alone or in combination with deconges-
tants, dextromethorphan, or codeine) have little or no effect
on the duration or intensity of acute cough and do not appear
to relieve acute nocturnal cough or sleep disturbance associ-
ated with nocturnal cough.
45
ACCP adult cough guidelines
recommend first-generation antihistamine therapy as first-
line empiric treatment for UACS-related cough, noting that
studies have not demonstrated efficacy for newer second-
generation antihistamines. Significant improvements in
cough in children with allergic rhinitis from treatment with
oral cetirizine, terfenadine, and mometasone nasal spray
have been reported.
46-48
Cough resolution from UACS can
take up to 2 to 4 weeks of therapy, depending on the cause
(adult data).
13
GERD Therapy
Data are inconclusive regarding the efficacy of treating
chronic nonspecific cough in children with empiric GERD
therapy. Meta-analyses have not demonstrated the efficacy
of GERD therapy in chronic nonspecific cough in children
or adults.
31
Useful therapies for GERD in children include
proton pump inhibitors, prokinetic agents, and H
2
antago-
nists.
32
In adult studies, the response of cough and other ex-
traesophageal manifestations of GERD to therapy can take up
to 8 to 12 weeks.
13
There is increasing recognition of nonacid
reflux that does not respond to acid-suppressive therapies.
Antimicrobials
Antibiotic agents appear to have no effect during the short
duration of viral upper respiratory tract infections.
49
In cases
with convincing physical evidence of persistent purulent rhi-
nosinusitis or radiographic evidence of paranasal sinus infec-
tion with symptom duration >10 days, a course of antibiotics
may demonstrate a small benefit in decreasing the duration
of cough.
50
PBB, seen in some young children with chronic
cough, is amenable to antibiotic therapy.
Treating Habit Cough Syndrome
Various treatment modalities for habit cough syndrome have
been recommended, including self-hypnosis, biofeedback,
and suggestion therapy, which has been reported to result
in complete cessation of symptoms within 15 minutes.
51-53
Suggestion therapy can be conducted by the general pediatri-
cian, but the sessions require much dedicated time with the
child.
Conclusion
Cough in children is common, and the majority of cases re-
flect respiratory infections. Cough is rarely associated with
a serious disorder; all children with cough persisting for >8
weeks should be evaluated. A careful history, physical exam-
ination, chest x-ray, and spirometry (in an able child) are rec-
ommended for all children with chronic cough. If a diagnosis
is not evident (‘‘nonspecific’’ cough), then an approach based
THE JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS www.jpeds.com Vol. 156, No. 3
356 Goldsobel and Chipps

on characterizing the cough as ‘‘wet’’ or ‘‘dry’’ may be helpful.
In each case, specific etiology-based treatment is recommen-
ded when possible; otherwise, a therapeutic trial is indicated,
with ICS for children with dry cough (for possible asthma)
and antibiotics for wet cough (for possible PBB or sinusitis).
If a trial of medication is used, the treatment should be re-
viewed within the specified time frame for normal response.
If no effect is obvious, the treatment should be stopped and
alternative diagnoses considered. Multiple etiologies may
need to be treated concomitantly. The treatment of persistent
cough in children focuses on etiology; every effort should be
made to identify the underlying cause. There is no evidence
supporting the use of medications for symptomatic relief of
acute or chronic cough in children; some data suggests
potentially harmful effects. n
We acknowledge the editorial expertise and technical assistance of Ju-
dith R. Farrar, PhD, FAAAAI in developing and reviewing this man-
uscript.
Submitted for publication Mar 13, 2009; last revision received Aug 23, 2009;
accepted Dec 2, 2009.
Reprint requests: Alan B. Goldsobel, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI, Allergy and Asthma
Associates of Northern California, 4050 Moorpark Ave, San Jose, CA 95117.
E-mail: abg@asthmacare.com.
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358 Goldsobel and Chipps

Table II. Indicators (signs and symptoms) of specific
cough in children based on history and physical
examination
Daily, wet, or productive cough
Auscultatory findings (wheeze or crackles)
Chronic dyspnea
Exertional dyspnea
Hemoptysis
Duration >6 months
Recurrent pneumonia
Cardiac abnormalities (including murmurs)
Immune deficiency
Failure to thrive
Digital clubbing
Swallowing problems
Modified with permission.
13
Table III. Prospective studies of etiology of cough in pediatric patients
Marchant et al
21
Khoshoo et al
22
Asilsoy et al
23
Patient population 108; prospective cohort referred to tertiary
pediatric respiratory center
40; consecutive presentation to pediatric
pulmonary clinic
108; consecutive presentation over 7
months
Setting Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane,
Australia
West Jefferson Medical Center, New
Orleans, LA
Children’s Hospital and Research Center,
Izmir, Turkey
Age <18 years (median, 2.6 years) 9.3 years mean 6 to 14 years (mean, 8.4 years)
Definition of chronic cough >3 weeks (median duration, 6 months) >8 weeks > 4 weeks (mean duration, 4 months)
Pertinent history 43% households cigarette smoke
exposure; 62% onset cough at age <1
year; 89% wet cough
No cigarette smoke exposure 56% cigarette smoke exposure; 52% wet
cough; 30% family history atopy
Evaluation All: chest x-ray, spirometry in those age >6
years, bronchoscopy/BAL (n = 102) or
induced sputum (n = 4), CF evaluation,
quantitative IGs, IgE, mycoplasma, and
pertussis antibodies
Select: HRCT chest, pH probe
All: chest x-ray, PFT, bronchoscopy,
methacholine challenge, sweat test, pH/
impedance monitoring, allergy testing,
quantitative IGs
Select: EGD, barium swallow, sinus CT,
chest CT, immune evaluation, A1AT
testing
All: chest x-ray, PFT
Select: Bronchodilator response, chest
HRCT, bronchoscopy/BAL, GI
scintigraphy, nasal mucosal transport
time, sweat test, quantitative IGs, PPD,
mycoplasma antibodies
Findings PBB, 40%; natural resolution, 22%;
bronchiectasis, 6%; asthma, 4%; UACS,
3%; GERD, 3%; habit, 1%; idiopathic,
5%; multiple causes, 55%
GERD, 28%; UACS, 23%; asthma, 13%;
idiopathic, 10%; infection, 5%;
aspiration, 3%; multiple causes, 20%
Asthma, 25%; PBB, 23%; UACS, 20%;
GERD, 5%; bronchiectasis, 3%; natural
resolution, 2%; TB/ mycoplasma, 2%;
congenital malformation, 1%; multiple
causes, 19%
PFT, indicates pulmonary function test; HRCT, high resolution chest CT; EGD, esophagogastroduodenoscopy; A1AT, alpha 1 antitrypsin.
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