title: [Parental representations of children's cough and expectations on its management].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Providing medications for the management of acute cough in infants less than 24 months, a frequent reason for medical consultation, has recently been reduced by the contraindication of various antitussive specialties in France.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to assess the expectations and fears of coughing infants' parents, to determine their representations of coughing, and to quantify the use of self-medication and the risk of a deferral requests to prescribe other drug classes.
  
  
  METHODS
  An opinion and cross-survey was carried out with parents of infants under 24 months of age. A multiple-choice questionnaire was proposed to them in day care centers and Mother and Infant Welfare centers. The data collected were analyzed descriptively and using the Chi(2) test. Logistic regression enabled us to interpret some of the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-four percent of parents expect an antitussive treatment from the doctor. For most parents, lifestyle modifications are well integrated (nasal irrigation, considered effective cough relief, hydration, smoking cessation). For 33 % of parents, corticosteroids are an alternative therapy to stop cough. Nearly half (43 %) of parents have sought treatment from their doctor, usually nasal suspensions, corticosteroids, and saline irrigation. Regarding self-medication, 30 % of parents have already given cough syrup or an antitussive suppository without a prescription, in order to stop the cough rapidly for 66 % of them. These parents seem more worried by coughing than other parents (P=0.0110, CI: 0.217; 1.751) as did those who had only one child (P=0.0029, CI: 0.120; 0.582).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that a large majority of parents understand and accept the new recommendations. But one-third of parents are still worried, not knowing what to do without prescribed medications, which led them to give nonprescription cough syrups and ask for inappropriate treatments. It seems essential to inform parents about the natural history of infant coughing and educate them on lifestyle rules to reduce the risk of deferral prescription.
authors.affiliation: Faculté de médecine de Nancy, université de Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ventaja
authors.affiliation: Département de médecine générale, faculté de médecine de Nancy, université de Lorraine, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Steyer
authors.affiliation: CIC-P, Inserm, faculté de médecine de Nancy, université de Lorraine, CHU de Nancy, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
authors.forename: J-L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Machu
authors.affiliation: Inserm, faculté de médecine de Nancy, université de Lorraine, CHU de Nancy, bâtiment Louis-Mathieu, allée du Morvan, 54500 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France. Electronic address: jmarc-boivin@orange.fr.
authors.forename: J-M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boivin
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D003371:Cough / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D057566:Self Report