Interdisciplinary approach to prolonged cough in children

Abstract

were evaluated on an interdisciplinary basis and treated by pediatricians and otorhinolaryngologists. Pediatric diagnoses included asthma and cough-variant asthma, bronchitis, psychogenic cough, and whooping cough in 40.6%,15.6%,6.3%, and 3.1% of cases, respectively. Otorhinolaryngological diagnoses include sinusitis and nasal allergy in 50.0% and 43.8% of cases, respectively. Co-morbid upper and lower airway illness was identified in 43.8% of the patients. Appropriate interdisciplinary treatment for a month resulted in significant improvement in more than 80% of the children.
The results of this study underscore the importance of taking an interdisciplinary approach to treating chronic respiratory symptoms in children that can arise from either the upper or lower airway.