Therapie des unspezifischen Hustens bei Kindern

Unspecific cough is defined as dry cough without signs and symptoms of any specific underlying disease. With respect to the duration of symptoms unspecific cough is subdivided into acute (< 3 weeks), subacute (3–8 weeks) and chronic (> 8 weeks) cough. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of commonly used “cough medicines” (e.g. antitussive agents and expectorants) and other pharmaceutical preparations is at best very limited. In addition, pharmaceutical preparations acting on the central nervous system in particular exhibit an unfavorable relationship between effectiveness and adverse side effects. Given the self-limiting favorable outcome of unspecific cough, in the absence of warning signs for a specific cause a watchful waiting approach is justified despite the long duration. Avoidance of specific (e.g. cigarette smoke) and unspecific inhalative stimuli and noxious substances should always be recommended and parents should be instructed on the often long duration and recurrent course for the time frame of unspecific cough.