Question

My child is 5 years old and has been coughing for over a month. After taking various cough suppressants and expectorants, there has been no improvement. He had coughing for two months before this, and it cleared up for a few days before starting again. What should I do? The cough is not severe, and it’s worse in the morning but not during the day. There is mucus.

Answer

Coughing is a protective reflex of the respiratory tract that helps to prevent foreign objects from entering the trachea and bronchial system, or to clear mucus from the bronchi. However, frequent or severe coughing may be a symptom of certain diseases.

  1. Respiratory infections: Bacterial or viral infections such as acute upper respiratory infection, chronic rhinosinusitis, chronic pharyngitis, tonsillar abscess, acute epiglottitis, laryngotracheobronchitis, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, bronchial intramural tuberculosis, acute bronchiolitis, pneumonia, pulmonary abscess, measles, pertussis. Fungal infections: respiratory candidiasis. Parasitic diseases: lung cysticercosis, pulmonary schistosomiasis, malaria, amebiasis, pulmonary echinococcosis.
  2. Allergic diseases: asthma and eosinophilic pneumonia.
  3. Pulmonary circulation disorders: pulmonary congestion, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism.
  4. Mechanical or other factors: inhalation of smoke or other irritating gases, adenoid hypertrophy, aspiration of foreign objects into the respiratory tract, esophageal tracheal fistula, pleural effusion, mediastinal tumors, pericardial effusion, diaphragmatic stimulation, diaphragmatic hernia, vagus nerve stimulation.