Medical treatment is not necessary. Occasionally, habit cough overlaps with postnasal drip syndrome, which can be treated. Psychogenic Cough Psychogenic cough has no apparent physical cause. Emotional and psychological problems are likely causes. However, other illnesses have to be ruled out before a firm diagnosis is made.
Psychogenic cough is thought to be more common in children than in adults.
This group of lung diseases that includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is characterized more by shortness of breath than by cough. Before cough is assumed to be due to interstitial pulmonary disease, the most common causes of chronic cough, such as PNDS, need to be ruled out since they may be contributing factors. Then, if cough persists despite specific treatment for the interstitial lung disease, nonspecific medication, such as codeine, may be needed to suppress coughing and ease discomfort. Other Causes of Cough in Infants and Children Asthma, sinusitis, and GERD are the most frequent causes of chronic cough in children. Other causes can be hard to diagnose, especially in infants and small children who cannot describe symptoms and are difficult to examine.