Coughing usually indicates that there is something irritating the breathing passages and the body should be rid of it. The following list gives some of the most common causes of coughing.
  • Respiratory infections such as coup, bronchitis, the common cold, pneumonia, sinusitis and whooping coughing.
  • Allergies such as asthma and hay fever.
  • Accidentally breathing small objects such as coins, tiny toys, safety pins, beads or small food particles into the windpipe or lungs.
  • Accidentally breathing chemicals into the windpipe or lungs.
Chronic coughing may be caused by tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis. A child occasionally coughs because he wants to gain attention.

The way you treat a cough depends largely on its cause. Consult your doctor to determine the cause. He may advise chest X-rays and allergy tests.

Usually, a child's coughing should not be suppressed. It is the normal way to get rid of irritating material in the respiratory system. But if coughing tires your child or interferes with his sleep, the doctor may prescribe a cough medicine for the child or tell you to give the child cough drops. Never give cough medicine to a child unless your doctor prescribes it.

Here are some other steps which your doctor may take to relieve your child's coughing.
  • In cases of respiratory infection, he may prescribe antibiotics. He may also advise you to increase the humidity in the child's room. The moistened air makes breathing easier for your child.
  • In cases of nasal allergies, the doctor may prescribe antihistamines to prevent or lessen allergic reactions.
  • If a foreign object has been breathed in to the windpipe or lungs, he may have to remove the object surgically.