Three types of cough kids suffer from and what to do - including when to call a GP

Advice from the NHS as to what exactly that cough means, and when you should head to your GP, or even the hospital

When your child has a cough, it can be a cause for concern. You may not want to bother your GP if it's just a symptom of the latest cold, but you also don't want to wait until they're wheezing and you're rushing to A&E at 3am.

So, here's what the NHS says about what that cough could mean, and when you should see your GP or even go to the hospital. The following types of coughs are more common in children than adults - although children can also get some of the same coughs as adults.

If you're worried about your child or they're having trouble breathing, contact your GP. Monitor their eating and drinking habits, and if they consume less than half of what they usually do during the last two or three feeds, or have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, take them to the GP.

Three types of cough kids suffer from and what to do

Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis starts like a common cold, but then develops further symptoms over the next few days, including:

• a slight high temperature (fever)
• a dry and persistent cough
• difficulty feeding
• rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing)

Contact your GP if you are worried about your child or they are having difficulty breathing. Keep an eye on how much they are eating and drinking, and if they take less than half the amount they usually do during the last two or three feeds, or have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, take them to the GP.

Call an ambulance if your baby is having severe difficulty breathing or their tongue or lips turn blue.

Croup

Croup causes a barking cough with a harsh sound when the child breathes in, known as stridor. Croup is normally mild and can be treated at home. If your child does start to have difficulty breathing, take them to A&E.

Sitting your child upright and comforting them if they are distressed is important, because crying may make symptoms worse.

Whooping cough

Symptoms of this highly-contagious bacterial infection include:

• intense, hacking bouts of coughing
• vomiting
• a "whoop" sound with each sharp intake of breath after coughing

The coughing bouts can go on for two to three months or more, and can make children and babies very ill.

A coughing attack can last a few minutes at a time, and will bring up thick mucus. There may be a "whoop" sound in between coughs, but not everyone suffers this.

Babies under six months are at particular risk of developing complications.

A person with whooping cough is infectious from about six days after they were infected – when they just have cold-like symptoms – until three weeks after the coughing bouts start.

Antibiotics may be used if the person has been diagnosed within the first three weeks of the infection, but this only stops them being contagious to others. Hospital treatment is recommended for babies and young children who are very ill.

Vaccinations against whooping cough are available and can help protect children when they are young. They don't offer lifelong protection from the disease.