Childhood habit cough treated with self-hypnosis.
OBJECTIVE
To better understand factors associated with the development and persistence of habit cough and to report use of self-hypnosis for this condition.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review was performed for 56 children and adolescents with habit cough. Interested patients were instructed in self-hypnosis for relaxation and to help ignore the cough-triggering sensation.


RESULTS
The patients' mean age was 10.7 years. The cough was triggered by upper respiratory infections in 59%, asthma in 13%, exercise in 5%, and eating in 4%. Onset of the cough occurred as early as 2 years, and its average duration was 13 months (range, 2 weeks to 7 years). There was a high incidence of abdominal pain and irritable bowel syndrome in the 50% of the patients who missed more than 1 week of school because of their cough. Among the 51 patients who used hypnosis, the cough resolved during or immediately after the initial hypnosis instruction session in 78% and within 1 month in an additional 12%.


CONCLUSIONS
Habit cough is triggered by various physiologic conditions, related frequently to other diagnoses, and it is associated with significant school absence. Self-hypnosis offers a safe efficient treatment.
Anbar
Ran D
RD
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA. Anbar@mail.upstate.edu
Hall
Howard R
HR
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000150:complications; D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis / Q000379:methods*; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012648:Self Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome