What is Chronic Wet Cough?

A daily wet cough in a child for more than 4 weeks could indicate infection in the airways known as protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB). The ongoing infection and inflammation from untreated PBB can lead to irreversible lung damage, or bronchiectasis, which can impact on quality and duration of life. If wet cough is detected and managed early, bronchiectasis can be halted, limited, reversed or prevented.

Signs of Wet Cough

A wet cough for 4 weeks or more
Yellow or green goonbee or spit
Short wind

What To Do?

If a child has wet cough for more than 4 weeks, they need to get to clinic to get their lungs checked.

Treatment

Usual treatment for PBB is 2-4 weeks of antibiotics.