Occasional accumulation of food does not cause chronic cough, but the potential for chronic cough exists with regular accumulation of food. This is because chronic food accumulation means that the individual has abnormal digestive function and may have problems such as acid reflux, and gastro-oesophageal reflux cough is a type of chronic cough that can cause more prolonged cough symptoms.
It is particularly common for infants and young children to develop a chronic cough as a result of food accumulation, and parents should take this seriously.