Prolonged cough in children is a serious warning sign

Urgent medical attention should be given to persistent coughing in children

Often, prolonged coughing in children is indicative of a bacterial infection or other respiratory disease, reports the Professional Association of Pediatricians (BVKJ). A recent study has shown that coughing in children, which lasts for four weeks, is often due to chronic respiratory disease.

The researchers at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia) conclude in their current study that nearly one-third of the children who were examined by a pulmonologist (pulmonologist) because of the persistent cough, a previously undiscovered chronic lung disease had. In addition, almost half of the children (47 percent) had a protracted bacterial bronchitis, reports the BVKJ.

Especially in small children long-lasting cough should urgently be clarified specialist and possibly treated. Often a chronic respiratory disease is hidden in children behind protracted coughing.
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Persistent coughing often indicates chronic illness

According to the BVKJ, if children continue to cough after an acute respiratory disease, this should be considered as a warning signal. After all, according to the results of the current study, the long-lasting cough is often the only symptom of chronic respiratory disease. The research team around Dr. Kerry-Ann F. O'Grady of the Queensland University of Technology had examined the diagnoses behind the cough problem with 839 children under the age of 15 who had been seeking a pediatric emergency room for coughing. Their findings were published in the journal "Archives of Disease in Childhood". http://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2017/08/16/archdischild-2017-312848

The children were excluded from the study who were already known to have chronic lung disease (other than asthma) and / or immunodeficiency. Even children who had used certain immunomodulatory drugs 30 days prior to visiting the emergency room were not included in the study, explains the BVKJ.

Frequently a chronic lung disease detected

Most children (627, 74.8 percent) had less than seven days of cough before starting their studies. However, after a period of four weeks, 20.4 percent (171 children) of the subjects were still coughing. Of these 171 children, 117 (68.4 percent) were studied by a pediatric pulmonologist and 36 children (30.8 percent of 171) were diagnosed with previously unrecognized chronic lung disease. 55 children (47 percent) had protracted bacterial bronchitis. In addition, 37 children (31.6 percent) received more than one diagnosis, the BVKJ reports on the study results.

Asthma and tracheobronchomalacia are relatively common

Chronic respiratory disease in children was often associated with asthma (17 cases) or tracheobronchomalacia (laxity of the trachea, 13 cases). Four children also suffered from obstructive sleep apnea, four from respiratory disorders (aspiration disorders) and four from bronchiectasis (bronchodilation), according to the BVKJ. In addition, acute illnesses such as recurrent upper respiratory infections (in fourteen children) or pneumonia (four cases) were found.

Threatening irreversible lung damage

Since in many cases behind the persistent cough a chronic illness - or a disease that can become chronic - hides, this should always be taken seriously. At worst, an untreated chronic cough can lead to irreversible lung damage and chronic lung disease, the BVKJ reports, citing the study authors. In addition, a chronic cough affects the quality of life and stress for the parents.

Although the cough is usually caused by a viral infection, which usually heals over time. But this is far from being the case in all cases. According to the BVKJ, if the cough lasts longer than two weeks, a medical examination is urgently required, even if the child has already been examined by a pediatrician at the beginning of the illness. (Fp)