Schematic diagram of the overlap between nonspecific and specific cough in children

The presence of signs and symptoms of specific causes of cough (specific cough "pointers") are used to distinguish specific cough from nonspecific cough during the initial evaluation; refer to UpToDate table on specific cough for details. The size of the circles reflect that nonspecific cough is likely more common than specific cough in the community. In referral populations (pulmonary clinics), specific cough is more common than nonspecific cough. The overlap between these circles indicates that some children who are initially categorized as having specific cough (due to the presence of specific cough pointers) ultimately prove to have nonspecific cause, and vice versa.