1. It is important to differentiate viral infection from bacterial infection.
2. An antibiotic should not be prescribed without reasonable evidence of bacterial infection.
3. Antibiotics in RTI:

4. Cough in children persists for 10-14 days. Cough for >14 days needs evaluation.

5. Choosing cough syrup – Mucolytics and expectorants have no role in infants and children; oral phenylephrine and antihistamine can be used; don’t use xylometazoline and oxymetazoline.

6. Chest X-ray visualizes lung parenchyma, pleura or mediastinum and not the airways. Severe cough denotes airway disease. X-ray is thus not helpful in severe cough.

7. Behavioral therapy – Teach the patient to delay the cough each second; instruct the patient to focus entirely on holding back the urge to cough for an initially brief period; increase the patient’s confi dence; change the mindset; autosuggestion helps.