SNAPPS WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT TEMPLATE
What is the self-directed learning issue that was identified in your oral presentation?
Differentiating Causes of Prolonged Cough in Adolescents
Research the self-directed learning issue and provide a summary of your findings which is fully
supported by appropriate, scholarly, EBM references.
Postinfectious bronchitis is a common cause of prolonged cough in adolescents and
adults following an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms may persist for several weeks due
to continued airway inflammation and hypersensitivity even after the initial infection has
resolved. Patients commonly present with a persistent cough that may initially be productive
and later become dry, along with fatigue, intermittent mucus production, throat irritation, and
shortness of breath with activity. According to Dunphy et al. (2023), acute bronchitis is most
commonly viral in origin, and symptoms may persist for up to three weeks or longer in some
patients due to ongoing bronchial inflammation.
Differentiating bronchitis from other causes of prolonged cough, such as pneumonia or
cough-variant asthma, is important for accurate treatment and prevention of unnecessary
antibiotic use. According to Smith et al. (2021), community-acquired pneumonia in pediatric
patients commonly presents with fever, tachypnea, abnormal lung findings, and respiratory
distress, although atypical presentations may occur more subtly in adolescents. Pneumonia
may present with prolonged cough, sputum production, fatigue, fever, chest discomfort, and
shortness of breath. Community-acquired pneumonia often presents with abnormal lung
sounds, focal consolidation, tachypnea, or hypoxia, although atypical pneumonia may present
more subtly in adolescent patients. In contrast, postinfectious bronchitis commonly follows a
recent upper respiratory illness and may present with prolonged cough despite relatively mild
