Cough facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

A cough, also known as tussis, is an action the body takes to get rid of anything that irritates the lungs or throat. To do this, muscles in the thoracic cavity contract to make air leave the lungs with a lot of force. Coughs often happen quickly and more than once, and are usually accompanied by a unique sound, also called a cough.

Coughs are more likely to happen when a person is sick, because infections often irritate breathing passages. Another cause of coughs is a person breathing air that is not clean like dust.