Guidelines to aid the medical practitioners in the evaluation and management of children with chronic cough. These guidelines include children less than/equal to 14 years of age with chronic cough (> 4 weeks duration). The guidelines are listed as follows-

21. For children aged  ≤ 14 years with chronic cough (> 4 weeks duration) without underlying lung disease, we recommend that treatment(s) for GERD should not be used when there are no GI clinical features of gastroesophageal reflux such as recurrent regurgitation, dystonic neck posturing in infants or heartburn/epigastric pain in older children (Grade 1B).
22. For children aged  ≤14 years with chronic cough (> 4 weeks duration) without an underlying lung disease, who have symptoms and signs or tests consistent with gastroesophageal pathological reflux, we recommend that

(a) they be treated for GERD in accordance with evidence-based GERD-specific guidelines (Grade 1B) and

(b) the acid-suppressive therapy should not be used solely for their chronic cough (Grade 1C).

23. For children aged  ≤ 14 years with chronic cough (> 4 weeks duration) without underlying lung disease, with GI gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms, we suggest that they be treated for GERD in accordance with evidence-based GERD-specific guidelines for 4 to 8 weeks and their response reevaluated (Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).
24. For children aged  ≤ 14 years with chronic cough (> 4 weeks duration) without underlying lung disease, if GERD is suspected as the cause based on GI symptoms, we suggest following the GERD guidelines6,7 for investigating children suspected of GERD (Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).
25. For children with chronic cough (> 4 weeks) after acute viral bronchiolitis, we suggest that the cough be managed according to the CHEST pediatric chronic cough guidelines, asthma medications not be used for the cough unless other evidence of asthma is present, and inhaled osmotic agents not be used (Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).
26. For children with chronic cough, we suggest that the presence or absence of nighttime cough or cough with barking or honking character should not be used to diagnose or exclude psychogenic or habit cough (Grade 2C).
27. For children with a chronic cough that has remained medically unexplained after a comprehensive evaluation based upon the most current evidence-based management guideline, we recommend that the diagnosis of tic cough be made when the patient manifests the core clinical features of tics that include suppressibility, distractibility, suggestibility, variability, and the presence of a premonitory sensation whether or not the cough is single or one of many tics (Grade 1C).
28. For children with chronic cough, we suggest

(a) against using the diagnostic terms habit cough and psychogenic cough and

(b) substituting the diagnostic term tic cough for habit cough to be consistent with the DSM-5 classification of diseases because the definition and features of a tic capture the habitual nature of cough and

(c) substituting the diagnostic term somatic cough disorder for a psychogenic cough to be consistent with the DSM-5 classification of diseases (Ungraded Consensus-Based Statement).

29. For children with chronic cough, we suggest that the diagnosis of somatic cough disorder can only be made after an extensive evaluation has been performed that includes ruling out tic disorders and uncommon causes and the patient meets the DSM-5 criteria for a somatic symptom disorder (Grade 2C).
30. For children with chronic cough, diagnosed with somatic cough disorder (previously referred to as psychogenic cough), we suggest non-pharmacological trials of hypnosis or suggestion therapy or combinations of reassurance, counselling, or referral to a psychologist and/or psychiatrist (Grade 2C).

Source: Chang, AB, Oppenheimer, JJ, Irwin, RS. Managing Chronic Cough as a Symptom in Children and Management Algorithms CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report, CHEST 2020; 158(1):303-329.