When to Worry About a Lingering Cough
Lingering Cough: What Ontario Parents Need to Know
Your child's cough has been hanging around for weeks, and you're starting to wonder if something's wrong. Most lingering coughs are completely normal after a cold or virus and will clear up on their own. Here's when to relax and when to reach out for help.
What's going on?
A lingering cough after your child has been sick is incredibly common. When viruses like colds or respiratory infections clear up, they often leave behind irritated airways that keep triggering that cough reflex. Think of it like a scratch that keeps getting bumped before it fully heals.
Most post-viral coughs stick around for 2 to 8 weeks after your child feels better otherwise. This happens because the tiny airways in their lungs are still healing from the inflammation caused by the original infection. Children's airways are smaller and more sensitive than adults, so they take longer to settle down.
The good news? These coughs almost always resolve completely without any treatment. Your child's body is doing exactly what it should to heal.
What you might notice
- Dry, hacking cough that's worse at night or when lying down
- Coughing fits triggered by laughing, running, or cold air
- Cough that sounds harsh but your child seems otherwise well
- Occasional clear mucus when they cough
- Cough that comes and goes throughout the day
- No fever, and your child has normal energy and appetite
What helps at home
Honey is your best friend for children over 12 months. Give half a teaspoon to toddlers or a full teaspoon to older kids before bed. It coats the throat and actually works better than most cough medicines.
Keep the air moist with a cool mist humidifier in their bedroom, or sit with them in a steamy bathroom for 10 minutes before bed. Warm liquids like herbal tea or warm water with honey can soothe irritated throats. Make sure they're drinking plenty of fluids during the day.
Elevate their head slightly during sleep with an extra pillow for older children. This helps reduce nighttime coughing fits.
When to worry
Head to the emergency room if your child has trouble breathing, their lips or face turn blue, they can't speak in full sentences because of coughing, or they develop a high fever with difficulty swallowing.
Contact your doctor or text Arlo if the cough lasts longer than 8 weeks, your child develops new symptoms like fever or loss of appetite, they're coughing up blood or thick colored mucus, or you notice wheezing sounds. Also reach out if your child seems unusually tired, is losing weight, or if your gut tells you something isn't right.
The takeaway
That lingering cough is probably just your child's airways taking their sweet time to heal completely. You're doing great by keeping an eye on things and knowing when to seek help.
You can always text Arlo and talk to a provider in 5 minutes!
References - [Cough in children](https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/health-conditions-and-treatments/coughinchildren)
- [When to worry about your child's cough](https://aboutkidshealth.ca/article?contentid=783&language=english)
- [Respiratory tract infections](https://ontario.ca/page/common-cold-and-respiratory-infections)