Points in the history and examination suggestive of alternative diagnosis
| History | Examination |
|---|---|
| Cough | Ear, nose and throat infection |
| • Severity | Nasal polyps |
| • Time course | Chest deformities |
| • Diurnal variability | Abnormal chest auscultation |
| • Associated cold | Evidence of atopy |
| • Relation to meals | Failure to thrive |
| • Sputum | Digital clubbing |
| • Wheeze | Deviation of the growth curve |
| • Age of onset | Ask the child to perform his/her usual cough and examine for features in table 4 and presence of wet cough |
| Fever | |
| Upper airway symptoms | |
| Foreign body aspiration | |
| Habitual vomiting | |
| Contact with tuberculosis or HIV | |
| Smoking behaviour of parents | |
| Possible allergies | |
| Immunisation status | |
| Swallowing abnormalities |