Respiratory: Cough Flashcards
What is the role of coughing?
A primary pulmonary defence mechanism
Enhances clearance of secretions
Protects against aspiration of foreign bodies
What is a cough?
A forced explosive manoeuvre
Starts against a closed glottis
Associated with characteristic sound
What should you ask in a cough history?
Preceding symptoms: fever, runny nose, choking episodes
Onset: age, acuity (rapid - FB, evolves over 24-48 hours - viral)
Duration: acute = less than 3w, chronic = 4-8w
Nature: wet or dry
Quality: barking, hacking, paroxysmal
Triggering or alleviating factors
Associated symptoms: DIB, wheeze, feeding difficulties, vomiting
Diurnal variation: worse at night? Disappears with sleep?
Response to prior treatment e.g bronchodilators
Do children less than eight produce sputum?
No
What type of cough does croup produce?
Barking, brassy
Associations: stridor, hoarse voice
What type of cough does viral tracheitis produce?
Brassy, painful
Associations: stridor, raspy cough, fever, pain
What type of cough does asthma/ reactive airways produce?
Irritative, dry
Associations: atopic, wheezing
What type of cough does GORD produce?
High pitched, dry
Associations: choking, gagging, arches
What type of cough does bronchiolitis produce?
High pitched
Associations: URI, wheeze, dyspnoea
What type of cough does pertussis produce?
Paroxysms, burst
Associations: vomits with cough
What is pertussis also known as?
Whooping cough
What type of cough does pneumonia/ LRTI produce?
Wet
Associations: fever, dyspnoea
What type of cough does CF produce?
Wet, hacking
Associations: FTT, clubbing
What type of cough does congestive HF produce?
Grunt, wet
Associated: fatigue, dyspnoea
A sudden on set cough in a previously well child points towards…
An inhaled foreign body
A high pitched cough with wheeze and after URI suggests…
Bronchiolitis
A wet cough, with poor growth and clubbing suggests…
Bronchiectasis
A long standing, brassy and barking cough suggests…
Airway malacia
A runny nose, allergic salute, clears throat suggests…
Allergic rhinitis
