Children cough for a variety of reasons. It's one of the most common reasons to visit a doctor's office.

The appropriate treatment for a child with a cough largely depends on the cause but may include home remedies such as fluids, honey, saline, or nasal suction; over the counter medicines (though these should not be used in children under 4 years of age without discussing it with a healthcare professional, or prescription medication).

Common causes of cough in children

• Viruses:  By far the most common cause of cough in children is mucous draining backward down the throat from an upper respiratory virus.  Viruses can also cause lower airway infections (pneumonia).
• Bacteria:  Bacterial causes of cough, particularly sinus infections and pneumonia, are uncommon in preschool-age children.  Antibiotics are typically needed for bacterial causes of cough.
• Allergies:  Seasonal allergy symptoms can definitely cause cough.  Seasonal allergies are less common in children before about age 2-3yo as it takes a couple of seasons of exposure typically to develop allergies.
• Asthma:  Asthma is a condition marked by inflammation of the airways in the lungs, increased production of mucous in the lungs, and spasm (narrowing) of the airways.  It is more common in children with a family or personal history of asthma, allergies, and/or eczema.  Asthma is usually treated with a combination of inhaled medicines.

Signs your child needs to see a medical professional

• Cough for more than 2-3 weeks and well-appearing
• Any noisy, heavy, fast, or labored breathing
• Your child looks unwell or has low energy
• Fever for more than 48 hours (on and off) with a cough
• Noisy breath in after a coughing fit (may indicate whooping cough)
• Any time you're worried