Causes of acute and recurrent cough in a child less than 12 years

Cough is the commonest symptom in the respiratory tract among all children , it indicates irritation in the respiratory tract ( larynx , trachea , bronchi or bronchioles ) leading to the reflex of cough.

Causes of acute cough

Acute cough is that which lasts for less than 2 weeks , it may be
severe with diffilulty in respiration or not as

1-Respiratory tract infections as inflammation due to irritation with an organism either viral or bacterial

2-Bronchial asthma which is an allergic and genetic condition in which there is hyper-sensetivity in the respiratory airways leading to inflammation and narrowing in the airway leading to cough . acute asthma in the first presentation it appears as a condition of acute cough , but the most common presentation is recurrent as it id the mosy common cause for recurrent cough .

Causes of recurrent cough

1-In any child complaining from recurrent cough , the most common cause is Bronchial Asthma .

2-Recurrent aspiration which is a common condition in younger children .

3-Recurrent respiratory tract infections mostly in the children with decreased immunity due to drug administration or nutritional disorder .

4-Pertussis: cough in attacks with severe characteristic spasmodic cough with inspiratory whoop at the end of cough .

5-Allergic rhinitis ; allegy  from certain allergin can cause irritation in the airways leading reflex cough or may cause inflammation in airways leading to irritation and cough .

6-Psychological cough ; may be misdiagnosed as infection as it may be acquired habit by the child .

7-Passive smoking may be a cause which should be excluded in any child , if any of the family member is a smoker the child should be isolated immediately from the cause , and search for other causes according to the results obtained .

Management depends surely on the cause of the condition , but using drugs frequently should be stopped till asking the physician.