Assessment and classification of cough in children
Cough is classified according to its duration because this assists in differential diagnosis.
In children, cough is classified as:
- acute cough, lasting up to 2 weeks
- protracted acute cough, lasting 2 to 4 weeks
- chronic cough, lasting longer than 4 weeks.
This differs from the classification of cough in adults.
Identify the cause of acute cough, protracted acute cough1 or chronic cough to determine appropriate treatment.
If a child with cough has systemic symptoms (eg fever, weight loss, failure to thrive), consider additional investigations or referral to a relevant specialist.
For detailed advice on diagnosis and assessment of chronic cough in children, see the European Respiratory Society guidelines available here.