Children’s Cough

This information is for educational purposes and is not intended for you to self-diagnose or replace the advice given to you by your healthcare provider. If you are concerned about you/your child’s health please consult your doctor, healthcare provider, or alike.

What are coughs?

A cough is a sudden, usually involuntary, expulsion of air from the lungs with a characteristic and easily recognisable sound. ²⁵

Coughs are one of the most common symptoms of childhood illness. ²⁶ 

How common is coughing in children?

Cough is very common and in most children it is reflective of expected childhood respiratory (airways) infections. However, cough may also be representative of a significant serious disorder ²⁷. Seek help from your doctor or healthcare provider whenever you are concerned about your child’s cough.

What are the different types of cough in children?

A cough is usually wet or dry. A wet cough sounds ‘chesty’ and phlegmy. A dry cough is less likely to produce phlegm (mucus), can sound irritated, harsh, barking, or whooping. ²⁸

Sometimes a cough needs a doctor’s care.  If you’re concerned about your child’s cough, please consult a health care professional.. ²⁶

The most common types of cough include:

This section is for educational purposes to inform on some types of cough in children. Please consult your healthcare professional should you require any additional information. Bronchostop^® Children’s Cough Syrup helps to relieve irritation from dry or chesty coughs associated with colds. It also has a soothing effect and helps to ensure a peaceful and restorative sleep.

Cough with a fever ²⁶

A child who has a cough, mild fever, and runny nose probably has a common cold.  However, coughs with a fever 39°C or higher can sometimes be due to pneumonia, especially if a child is weak and breathing fast. In this case, call your doctor right away.

“Barky” cough ²⁶

Most of the time, a barky cough comes from croup, a swelling of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe). Younger children have smaller airways that, if swollen, can make it hard to breathe. Kids younger than 3 are most at risk for croup because their airways are so narrow. A cough from croup can start suddenly, often in the middle of the night. Most kids with croup will also have stridor , which is a noisy, harsh breathing that happens when the child inhales (breathes in). 

Whooping cough ²⁶

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an infection of the airways caused by bacteria.  Kids with whooping cough will have spells of back-to-back coughs without breathing in between. At the end of the coughing, they’ll take a deep breath in that makes a “whooping” sound.  Whooping cough can happen at any age, but is most severe in infants under 1 year old who did not get the pertussis vaccine (DTaP vaccine). 

Cough with wheezing ²⁶

If your child makes a wheezing (whistling) sound when breathing out (exhaling), this could mean that the lower airways in the lungs are swollen. This can happen with asthma.

Asthma or with the viral infection bronchiolitis .Wheezing also can happen if the lower airway is blocked by a foreign object. A child who starts to cough after inhaling something such as food or a small toy should see a doctor.

Night-time cough ²⁶

Lots of coughs get worse at night. When your child has a cold, the mucus from the nose and sinuses can drain down the throat and trigger a cough during sleep.

Cough with vomiting ²⁶

Kids often cough so much that it triggers their gag reflex, making them throw up. Also, a child who has a cough with a cold or an asthma flare-up might vomit if lots of mucus drains into the stomach and causes nausea. Usually, this is not cause for alarm unless the vomiting doesn’t stop.

What are some common causes of coughing in children?

Colds (upper respiratory tract infections) ²⁸

Young children usually have between 6 and 12 colds each year that are more common in the winter months. Children can keep coughing for a few weeks after a cold, but it is generally recommended to consult a health care professional if a cough persists in children.

Chest infections ²⁸

If your child has a wet, chesty cough and a fever, it may be an infection – take your child to the doctor. A wet, chesty cough and a fever can sometimes be a sign of pneumonia.

Whooping cough ²⁸

Whooping cough can cause very serious illness in babies and young children. Older children usually get a less severe disease, but the cough and vomiting can be very distressing.

Croup ²⁸

Croup may cause a harsh or barking cough.