Is your child coughing? A cough is usually a sign that your child’s body is trying to rid itself of an irritant.
Coughing serves a purpose. It’s a natural defense mechanism that helps the body protect itself by cleansing viruses, toxins, and mucus from the lungs and trachea. Common causes of coughs in children include infection (such as colds, flu, and croup), acid reflux, asthma, allergies or sinusitis.
While coughing may also be a common sign of COVID-19, not all childhood coughs are a sign of an underlying health conditions that necessitate a trip to the doctor.
Here’s are the top differences between a wet cough and a dry cough, as well as some potential causes and advise on whether to see a doctor.
Wet coughs
Wet coughs result in the expulsion of mucus (or liquid) from the lower respiratory tract. They are usually temporary, caused by viruses like colds and influenza, and are accompanied by symptoms including stuffy nose, aches/pain, sore throat, and wheezing. Sometimes, a wet cough is accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
- bubbling, popping, or rattling sounds, called “crackles”
- continuous, low pitched, snore-like sounds, called “rhonchi”
- pink tinged phlegm
A wet cough may linger after recovering from a virus and become chronic. It’s a good idea to call your child’s doctor if they are coughing for more than a few days, even if your doctor won’t be able to do much more than prescribe an over-the-counter cough prescription. Antibiotics have no effect on viral coughs.
Dry coughs
Upper airway irritation or inflammation can cause coughing. Because the upper airways do not have as many secretory glands as the lower airways, this type of cough does not generate mucus, hence the term “dry coughs”. Some dry coughs are only present for a brief time. A quick dry cough might be caused by choking, a tickling feeling in your child’s throat, or environmental irritants such as smoke.
However, if your child’s dry cough becomes severe, you should seek medical attention. Laryngitis, tonsillitis, or sinusitis, for example, can all create a dry cough. Bacterial infections such as whooping cough and tuberculosis cause a paroxysmal cough characterised by periods of severe hacking.
Dry coughing can be caused by allergies, emphysema, bronchitis, asthma, or GERD, as well as medications such as ACE inhibitors. It’s crucial to provide your child’s doctor as much information as possible about their coughing so that they can try to figure out what’s causing it and how to cure it.
