Approaches to Pediatric Cough: A Cross-sectional Survey on Diagnosis and Treatment Practices
Umut Durak1, Yusuf Deniz21Department of Developmental Pediatrics, University of Health Sciences, Beyhekim Training and Research Hospital, Konya, Türkiye2Department of Pediatrics, Karabük University Faculty of Medicine Training and Research Hospital, Karabük, Türkiye
INTRODUCTION: In Türkiye, no nationally recognized guideline exists for the management of cough in children. The absence of standardized protocols may lead to heterogeneous clinical approaches. This study aimed to describe the diagnostic and therapeutic practices of physicians working in pediatric practice and their perceived need for a common guideline.
METHODS: A cross-sectional digital survey was administered in Türkiye between June and December 2023 using snowball sampling. The 30-item form covered demographic characteristics, clinical experience, diagnostic approaches, and treatment preferences. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, with exploratory Fisher's exact comparisons.
RESULTS: Sixty-eight physicians working in pediatric practice completed the survey. Most participants (85.29%) preferred observation before initiating treatment. Among the 55 respondents who selected exactly three medications, 36 (65.45%) selected antibiotics among their three most frequently used treatments. Definitions of acute and chronic cough varied widely. Although viral infection was the most reported cause of cough (92.65%), 96.92% reported some use of chest radiography, mostly in a small proportion of patients. Only 14.71% perceived that a national guideline on pediatric cough existed, and 85.29% reported needing further education or resources on cough management.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This descriptive study documents variability in the self-reported practices of pediatricians and a widely reported need for further guidance, in a setting without a national pediatric cough guideline. These hypothesis-generating findings do not establish that any specific practice is unnecessary or inappropriate. They may nonetheless be informative for other settings lacking such a guideline and support the development of standardized, age-specific guidance.
Keywords: Cough, child, practice guidelines as topic, health care surveys, pediatrics.
Makale Dili: İngilizce