Table 1 Pointers to specific cause of cough in history and physical examination⁸.

Symptom/sign
Daily moist or productive cough
Failure to thrive
Digital clubbing
Haemoptysis
Recurrent pneumonia
Chronic dyspnoea at rest
Exertional dyspnoea
Auscultatory findings (wheeze, crepitations/crackles, differential breath sounds)
Cardiac abnormalities (including murmurs)
Immune deficiency
Duration >6 months
Swallowing problems