When your child coughs, it is usually a sign that the child's body is trying to rid itself of an irritant, which can be mucus or a foreign object. Common causes of cough include infection, acid reflux, asthma, allergies, whooping cough and exposure to cigarette or fireplace smoke.
The US Food and Drug Administration, and drug makers say you shouldn't give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines such as cough suppressants, expectorant, decongestants and antihistamines to children under 4 years because coughing is the body’s natural way of helping rid itself of the cold virus.
If your child is coughing excessively and for a prolonged period lasting more than 10 days, please contact your healthcare provider.
Some data culled from: 10 Common Childhood Illnesses and Their Treatments - HealthyChildren.org /American Academy of Pediatrics (Copyright © 2017)