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HealthInfo Canterbury

Cough in children

Coughs are very common in tamariki (children), especially preschoolers. Tamariki will often cough for three weeks or more after a simple cold.

There are two main types of coughs:

Common causes include:

Helping your child when they have a cough

You can treat most coughs at home.

Getting help for your child with a cough

If your tamaiti child is eating, drinking and breathing normally, they probably do not need to see a doctor.

As most coughs are caused by viruses, antibiotics will not help and may cause side effects.

You should take your tamaiti to see a doctor if:

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Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2021.

Sources

Page reference: 47569

Review key: HICGC-13294