“When does a cough need antibiotics?”

Usually antibiotic are needed for the cough associated with bacterial infection: pheumonia or sinusitis. There are many other reasons for cough in children that do not require antibiotics: URI, allergies, asthma, bronchiolitis, reactive airway disease.

A cough alone rarely needs antibiotics. A cough can be caused by many types of infections- both bacterial infections as well as viral infections. Only bacterial infections are helped by antibiotics. Also- coughs can come from problems in the sinuses, throat, vocal cords (croup) and in the lungs. Allergies can cause a cough and so can asthma. These are a few examples of coughs that come from something that is not an infection. That's why it's important to see your doctor before taking medications for a cough- particularly in kids. Your doctor can determine where the cough is coming from and then after that decide whether the cough is most likely caused by a viral or bacterial infection and if it needs antibiotics, cough medications or even medication for allergies or asthma. *Meg Meeker, M.D.* *Author, Pediatrician* *Parenting Great Kids* *www.meekerparenting.com <http://www.meekerparenting.com>*

Good morning. Now about coughs. They are the way the body reacts to usually increased mucus either in The upper respiratory tract or the lungs. This can be due to infection, allergies, or the reaction to things like Dust or smoke. However as to the need for antibiotics with a cough, there first must be an inciting agent. In most cases the initial signs and symptoms are the result of an acquired respiratory virus. The cough is=20