Understanding Chronic Dry Coughs in Children: Causes & Relief

Children cough as a way to remove irritating substances that are in the lungs. These substances travel into the lungs through air that is breathed in. For some children, a cough becomes dry and makes a hacking sound.

Effects

• Children with a dry and hacking cough may have wheezing, congestion and decreased energy.

Causes

• Causes of a dry hacking cough include allergies, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia and in more serious cases, cystic fibrosis.

Identification

• To identify the cause of the dry hacking cough in a child, a doctor will get a detailed medical history including when the cough occurs most often. The doctor will perform a medical examination and get a chest X-ray.

Treatment

• Treatment for a chronic dry cough in children generally includes medications to decrease the coughing. If medications do not make the cough subside, the child will be referred to a specialist.

Prevention/Solution

• To prevent a dry hacking cough, avoiding things that could trigger it like allergens and treating underlying medical conditions will be beneficial.