Coughs: Prevention

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Prevention

There is no sure way to prevent a cough. To help reduce your risk:

• Wash your hands frequently during the cold and flu season. This helps prevent the spread of a virus that may cause a cold or influenza.
• Avoid people who have a cold or influenza if possible.
• Don't smoke or use other forms of tobacco. A dry, hacking "smoker's cough" means your lungs are constantly irritated. For more information, see the topic Quitting Tobacco Use.
• Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke, both at home and in the workplace.
• Increase your fluid intake. This helps keep the mucus thin and helps you cough it up. It also helps prevent dehydration.
• Get a flu shot (influenza vaccine) each autumn if you are older than 50 or have a health risk that increases your risk for a serious problem. For more information, see the topic Influenza.
• Get a pneumonia shot (pneumococcal vaccine) if you are older than 65 or if you have chronic lung disease, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or a health risk that increases the seriousness of your symptoms. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
• Make sure your immunizations are current, such as pertussis to reduce your risk of getting whooping cough. For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
• If your child stays in a day care center, ask the day care providers to wash their hands often to prevent the spread of infection.

Prevention tips for children

• If your child goes to a day care center, ask the staff to wash their hands often to prevent the spread of infection.
• Make sure that your child gets all of his or her vaccinations, especially for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis (DTaP) and for Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). For more information, see the topic Immunizations.
• If one of your children is sick, separate him or her from other children in the home, if possible. Put the child in a room alone to sleep.
• For information on preventing allergies or asthma, see the topic Allergic Rhinitis or Asthma in Children.

Last updated:	February 25, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer