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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
3rd illness since January
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
3rd illness since January
by boysrgr8, Feb 27, 2003 12:00AM
My sons ages 5, 2, and 11 mos., all have RAD and allergies. At christmas they got the virus that everyone had when we were visiting family. They were just starting to get well when we we moved.(to the area they got the first virus from) They got sick again just as we walked into to our new house it seemed.(fever, runny nose, cough etc.) Three weeks later still coughing but no fever or runny nose, I am hoping they are getting better until, the two old wakes up with 102 fever. The two oldest were the only ones that got hi grade temps (101+), the baby only 100.7. I took the older 2 to the doctor, she gave them omnicef 2 tsps. 1x daily for the 5y, and 1 1/2 tsp for the 2y. It brought their temps down, some drainage to blow, but they are still coughing a lot. Sometimes I have to give them extra breathing treatments because they can't stop coughing to sleep. Nothing seems to be all the time. One minute they will have a temp (99), the next they don't. They weren't tested for any sinus infections. Could that cause this chronic cough even after the antibiotic? I am afraid of sending the 5y old back to school because, with his chest closed up like this I'm afraid of what he will catch next, if I don't get this cleared up first.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Mar 03, 2003 12:00AM
, Mar 03, 2003 12:00AM
Reactive Airway Disease (RAD) is another term for asthma that is used when the problem is not clearly asthma. This applies to your younger sons who have not reached school age so they are too young to be tested for asthma. RAD is wheezing and/or coughing because the airways are irritated and reacting to something, most commonly an infection. There are several reasons for this to occur:
1) It is not uncommon for a cough caused by a virus to last a couple of weeks. If this is getting worse or is not getting better, I would suggest seeing their doctor. It is possible that the viral infection has irritated your sons’ airways. Now they have airway reactivity causing the cough. A good physical examination will solve this question.
2) This cough could be a longer-term reaction following an infection. As this goes past weeks, it is most often called asthma. Infections can make asthma worse. This requires a more long-term approach, like the breathing treatments that you mentioned.
3) It could be that the infection is persisting and irritating the lower airways. This occurs with chronic sinus infections. It looks a lot like asthma, but can go away when the sinuses are relieved of infection and irritation.
An antibiotic is used to clear up a sinus infection when it is due to bacteria. A sinus infection is an irritation, or swelling, of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities. This can interfere with normal sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production. When this drainage from the nose and sinuses drips down the back of the throat it is known as postnasal drip. It is possible that postnasal drip is due to a sinus infection. It is also possible that postnasal drip has nothing to do with a sinus infection. However postnasal drip can cause a chronic cough.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and bacteria from the nose and sinuses. This can temporarily reduce the postnasal drip and lessen infections. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases nasal swelling and mucus production. This may prevent the postnasal drip and infections. To get the most out of a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your sons’ doctor to see if they would benefit from this daily treatment.
You will need to check with your sons’ doctor to see just what is going on in each of their situations. Then the doctor will be able to let you know the most helpful treatment for each of your sons. Please be sure to discuss your concern about your 5-year-old son going back to school.
1) It is not uncommon for a cough caused by a virus to last a couple of weeks. If this is getting worse or is not getting better, I would suggest seeing their doctor. It is possible that the viral infection has irritated your sons’ airways. Now they have airway reactivity causing the cough. A good physical examination will solve this question.
2) This cough could be a longer-term reaction following an infection. As this goes past weeks, it is most often called asthma. Infections can make asthma worse. This requires a more long-term approach, like the breathing treatments that you mentioned.
3) It could be that the infection is persisting and irritating the lower airways. This occurs with chronic sinus infections. It looks a lot like asthma, but can go away when the sinuses are relieved of infection and irritation.
An antibiotic is used to clear up a sinus infection when it is due to bacteria. A sinus infection is an irritation, or swelling, of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities. This can interfere with normal sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production. When this drainage from the nose and sinuses drips down the back of the throat it is known as postnasal drip. It is possible that postnasal drip is due to a sinus infection. It is also possible that postnasal drip has nothing to do with a sinus infection. However postnasal drip can cause a chronic cough.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and bacteria from the nose and sinuses. This can temporarily reduce the postnasal drip and lessen infections. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases nasal swelling and mucus production. This may prevent the postnasal drip and infections. To get the most out of a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your sons’ doctor to see if they would benefit from this daily treatment.
You will need to check with your sons’ doctor to see just what is going on in each of their situations. Then the doctor will be able to let you know the most helpful treatment for each of your sons. Please be sure to discuss your concern about your 5-year-old son going back to school.
My husband and I have been helped by a very helpful book, called "The Healthy House" by John Bower, and by the excellent book "Sinus Survival", by Dr. Robert Ivker, D.O.
Doctors who knows a lot about this, specialize in Environmental & Occupational Health.
National Jewish Medical & Research Center has a Department of Environmental & Occupational Health, where the doctors know all about this widespread and serious problem of outdoor & indoor air pollution.
There are some things that can be done to improve the air quality in the home, to lessen the environmental "insults" to the respiratory system.
Sincerely,
Concerned lady
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com