Possibilities
Now, what is likely or less likely? Take time to think about this and jot a few things down to compare with the expert view below.Click here to see why some things are more likely than others (expert view)
The history of a sudden onset of cough without the other features of the conditions that commonly cause coughing in children is puzzling.
- URTI:usually there is fever, conjunctivitis, rhinorrhoea, decreased drinking.
- Pneumonia : the absence of fever and tachypnoea makes this unlikely.
- Asthma : during an asthma attack there is a prominent, persistent wheeze. There is usually a personal or a family history of atopy.
- Bronchiolitis : this would be unusual at this age. It usually occurs infants less than 12 months old, there is a history of URTI followed by cough, wheeze, poor feeding about 2-3 days later.
- Croup: following an URTI the child develops stridor, barking cough and sometimes a hoarse voice.
- Whooping cough: mostly occurs in those unimmunised. The cough is paroxysmal, usually worse at night and followed by a whoop or vomiting.
- Inhaled foreign body : this is an uncommon cause of cough but should be considered in a toddler with a sudden onset of cough.
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