To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your child's condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:

• How long has your child had the cough?
• How often does your child cough?
• Does the cough have a pattern, such as worsening at night or becoming more frequent in the morning?
• What situations increase your child's coughing?
• Is your child exposed to any irritants, such as smoke, dust, or chemicals, at home or elsewhere?
• Is the cough productive (brings up sputum) or unproductive (dry and hacking)? Be prepared to describe the color (bloody, rusty, white, yellow, or green), amount, and consistency of any sputum.
• Does your child have other symptoms that may be related to the cough, such as nasal drainage, fever, shortness of breath, wheezing, or other suspected cold symptoms?
• What home treatment have you tried for the cough? Did it help?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines or other treatments have you tried? Did they help?
• What prescription and nonprescription medicines does your child take regularly?
• Has your child ever been diagnosed with allergies or asthma? Does anyone else in your family have allergies or asthma?
• Has your child traveled recently?
• Does your child have any health risks?