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Non-specific cough in children: diagnosis and treatment
1Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Misericordiae Children's Hospital, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Hospital Medicine (London, England : 1998)
|November 26, 1998
Insights
Cough is a common pediatric concern. This article provides a simple approach to evaluating children with non-specific cough when initial tests are normal.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Respiratory Medicine
Background:
- Cough is a frequent pediatric symptom prompting medical visits.
- Non-specific cough is diagnosed when history, physical exam, chest X-ray, and spirometry are normal.
Purpose of the Study:
- To focus on non-specific cough in children.
- To address common parental questions regarding cough.
- To outline a straightforward evaluation method for pediatric cough.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical guidelines and literature on pediatric cough.
- Synthesis of information to create a practical diagnostic approach.
- Focus on clinical history, physical examination, and basic investigations.
Main Results:
- Identification of key features distinguishing non-specific cough.
- Development of a step-by-step evaluation strategy.
- Emphasis on reassuring parents and managing expectations.
Conclusions:
- Non-specific cough is a common and often benign condition in children.
- A systematic approach can effectively evaluate and manage these cases.
- Further investigations are often unnecessary when initial findings are unremarkable.
Abstract:
Cough is a common reason for parents to seek medical attention. When the history, examination, chest X-ray and, if possible, spirometry are normal, the cough can be classified as non-specific, which is often found. This article focuses on non-specific cough, addresses common questions and gives a simple approach to evaluating the child with a cough.