“How long is too long for a child to have a cough?”
My son has had a cough for 4 days. How long is too long for a child to have a cough?
1 Answer
It depends on what is causing the cough, how old is your child, and the description of the cough: what it sounds like when it happens, is it productive, etc. most childhood coughs are self-limited viral upper respiratory infections that go away on their own because they are VIRAL, prescription antibiotics DO NOT HELP and should not be given (although the are very common). Even most pneumonia in children is viral and antibacterials are not indicated. Allergic or asthmatic coughs are NOT infectious and can be treated in different ways, with both prescription and non-prescription medications. Take your child to see his/her pediatrician for difficulty breathing, productive cough, cough with a fever above 101o measured orally or in the armpit.
