Prolonged Cough in Children

Parents are often distraught when their child experiences a prolonged episode of coughing. Hearing your child cough may cause you to worry, but doesn't necessarily mean there is a severe problem. Coughing in children is a common symptom that usually accompanies the common cold virus. Prolonged coughing in children accompanied with difficulty breathing may signify a serious underlying condition that should be treated by your pediatrician immediately.

Causes

• According to the physicians and medical board of advisors for Kidsgrowth.com, children who have had a cold or recurrent back-to-back colds may suffer from a prolonged cough that can last up to three weeks. Chronic infections of the sinuses and breathing passages, asthma and allergies may also cause prolonged coughing in children. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, children who suffer from a prolonged cough may also be suffering from post nasal drip, acid reflux, a bacterial infection of the lower airway, an inhaled foreign object, an irritant cough resulting from exposure to pollutants such as cigarette smoke and may even be a habit cough.

Home Treatment

• Common treatments for prolonged coughing in children may include placing a vaporizer in your child's room at night. Try adding a few essential oil drops, such as peppermint, eucalyptus or rosemary to further soothe coughing. Eliminate all exposure to cigarette smoke and common irritants, such as dust, pet dander and mold. Prolonged coughing that affects your child's sleep may be remedied with short-term use of decongestants and cough suppressants. Consult your pediatrician for guidance on all use of over-the-counter medications as many are not appropriate for use in small children.

Professional Treatment

• Primary treatment for prolonged coughing in children is based on the underlying cause of the symptom. Prolonged coughing in children caused from bacterial infections may be treated with antibiotics. Prolonged coughing caused from viral infections are not successfully treated with antibiotics and must run their course. School-aged children may benefit from cough suppressants, but total control of coughing symptoms is often not guaranteed. Persistent coughing as a result of acid reflux will require medication to ease reflux symptoms. Prolonged coughing as a result of asthma are treated with medications to relieve bronchial inflammation as well as nebulizer breathing treatments to ease breathing and decrease coughing. Persistent coughing caused by allergies, sinus infections or post-nasal drip, may be treated by your pediatrician with prescription medications to ease allergy symptoms, clear up sinus infections and reduce nasal drainage resulting in coughing symptoms.

Considerations

• Prolonged coughing in children that is a habit cough tends to disappear at night. According to the medical board of pediatricians at KeepKidsHealthy.com, older children tend to develop the condition, also known as psychogenic cough, as a result of stress. Psychogenic coughing sounds like a dry, hacking cough and may be remedied by a brief trial use of cough suppressants.

Warning

• Prolonged coughing accompanied by difficulty breathing may signify that your child has pneumonia. Children with pneumonia may experience prolonged, productive coughing with green mucus that is accompanied with difficulty breathing. Prolonged coughing in children accompanied with frequent infections, greasy, foul smelling stools and poor growth rates may signify cystic fibrosis and should be treated by your pediatrician immediately.