Chronic cough in infancy

Abstract

Cough is one of the most prominent and exasperating symptoms in paediatrics, for both the parents and the physician. Chronic cough that lasts for more than 3-4 weeks is of special interest in paediatric clinical practice. Its origin, in most occasions, takes place in the respiratory system, although cough can be a symptom of both, pulmonary and extrapumonary diseases. Its possible aetiologies are diverse, and so for a right management it is necessary to carry on an adequate diagnostic approach, based on clinical history and physical examination, that allowed a correct treatment focused on the underlying cause. Taking everything into account its diagnostic and management can be complex anyway, bearing in mind those circumstances that, due to its specific characteristics, should always be investigated. This article reviews the aetiology, diagnostic and management of the paediatric patient with chronic cough, establishing algorithms of actuation appropriate to each case.