Cough definitions4 5 18
| Cough | A forced expulsive manoeuvre which starts against a closed glottis, associated with a characteristic sound. |
| Acute cough | A recent onset cough lasting less than 3 weeks. |
| Prolonged acute cough | Cough lasting at least 3 weeks, which is ‘relentlessly progressive’ and may warrant early investigations. |
| Recurrent cough | Repeated (greater than two per year) cough episodes that each last more than 14 days. |
| Chronic cough | A non-resolving daily cough lasting longer than 4–8 weeks.4 18 There is no exact consensus on the duration in children. |
| Specific cough | A cough with a specific underlying cause. |