Coughing in Infants and Children

Cough is very common in children. When your child coughs, he is pushing air out of his lungs to clear his breathing tubes, which can be blocked for all sorts of reasons. Infections (from the mild to the more serious pneumonia, asthma, and allergies are among the more common causes, but cough can be caused by other things as well.

Answering the following questions in this health decision guide will help you understand more about what usually causes children to cough, and help you know when you should contact your doctor for medical care. Please note, this guide is not meant to take the place of a visit to your doctor's office.