Chronic cough in childhood

ABSTRACT
Chronic cough persisting for more than 4 weeks in children (8 weeks in adults), is one of the most common complaints lading to physician assessment. It is also a symptom responsible for the sale of billions of Euros each year, for mostly unnecessary over the counter medications.
While the cough reflex is similar in adults and children, the most common causes of chronic cough are currently thought to be different. This manuscript reviews these differences and how this, in turn, leads to different therapies for children with chronic cough.

IMPACT STATEMENT
Chronic cough in children has a different definition, different etiologies, and thus a very different diagnostic and therapeutic approach as compared with chronic cough in adults, as summarized in this review.

Received: Sept 3, 2022
Accepted: Oct 10, 2022
Published: Nov 1, 2022