What could be wrong with my baby

[bdagirl]

hello,

I am happy I found this site. I feel I am going crazy and am imagining thing.  My son was born November 2002.   What will always stand out in my mind is the fact that he came out coughing.   He coughed for so long, the doctor wanted to give him a treatment, not sure what it was, but the nurses said he was ok.  Well since birth he has always sounded like he had a cold.  He has alwas had a constant rattle on his chest. That continued from November til May/June  this year.  About two weeks ago it started all over again. He is still energetic and likes to play and laugh, but through the night, he coughs and is awaken where normally he would sleep right through.  Some nights he has me up for hours at a time.

I have tried the nasal drops which helps for a short time.  Is there anything else I can do to help him.  Why is he suffering like this.  Most times he is so congested, he cant breathe.

Please help me.  There is so much more I could say.  I am just going no where fast, and I feel my baby needs help.

[National Jewish]

It is obvious that this is a problem for both your child and you.  The first step is to find out what is causing the symptoms.  There are several reasons for this including allergy, sinus problems and possibly lower airways problems, such as asthma.  I would suggest seeing a board certified pediatric allergist to begin an evaluation of the problem and then start on a program to control and possibly eliminate the symptoms.  Testing might include a sinus CT scan, skin tests and possibly some blood tests.

[Ellis7]

Check out:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003049.htm
Nasal congestion     Excerpts:
"Nasal congestion has many causes and can range from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition. The newborn infant is an obligate nose breather (must breathe through the nose). Nasal congestion in an infant in the first few months of life can interfere with nursing and cause life-threatening respiratory distress........................
For a baby too young to blow his or her nose, use an infant nasal aspirator. If mucus is thick and sticky, loosen it by
putting 2 or 3 drops of salt solution (consisting of one-half teaspoon of salt to 1 cup of warm water) into each nostril.

If the air in your home is dry, a humidifier should be used.

Don't insert cotton swabs into a child's nostrils. Instead, catch the discharge outside the nostril on a tissue or swab, roll it
around, and pull the discharge out of the nose. Petroleum jelly applied to the nasal openings (be sure not to block them)
will help protect against irritation............

Call your health care provider if
*the stuffy nose is accompanied by swelling of the face (forehead, eyes, side of the nose, or cheek) or blurred vision.
*there is increased throat pain, or white or yellow spots on the tonsils or other parts of the throat.
*there are coughing episodes that last longer that 10 days or if the cough produces yellow-green or gray sputum.
*a stuffy nose lasts longer than 2 weeks and impairs lifestyle."
---------------

[bdagirl]

Thanks, but that does not explain the rattle on his chest.  Neither does it expain, why this condition has been continuing for weeks.  He has had a cold or nearly three weeks now.

[Concerned lady]

If your son is having trouble breathing, take him to your best local ER/Emergency Room, to be safe.

You can telephone the LUNG LINE nurses, at 1-800-222-LUNG(5864). Call between 8am and 4:30pm, Mountain time, to tell them about your child's breathing problems, and to get some good advice.

Has your child been seen by a good pediatric Pulmonologist yet (a lung specialist doctor)? Seeing such a specialist doc may help you to find out what's really causing the chest rattle, the long lasting "cold", coughing, etc.

Also consider the possibility of pediatric gastric reflux, which can cause or worsen many respiratory/breathing problems.

I hope you can get your son diagnosed and treated quickly.

Concerned lady
<a href=http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com>http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com</a>

[ozark]

If he has had this since being born, he should have some kind of work up to rule any anatomical problems with his larynx, trachea, bronchi and/or esophagus....there are many types of anomalies that can present like this as a cough and rattle....please ask your pediatrician if they have not yet been done..........such as a scope of his upper airway, chest xray, barium swallow etc....          good luck

[Sebastians Mom]

I'm curious what your pediatrician has to say about the "rattle" sounds you hear. Does he or she confirm that there is noise? Your description sounds to me like a serious problem. My son was diagnosed with chronic asthma at 18 months. However, he fortunately did not wheeze until then. Noises associated with breathing usually indicate that there is something obstructing the airways. It can be mucous, a congenital abnormality (birth defect), or a foreign object. Any of these are serious and need to be delt with.

I can tell you that we have been thru many many many doctors. Please do not hesitate to find a new Pediatrician if you are not happy with the answers you are getting. There are a lot of Dr's out there that are just not "up" on the current diagnosis and/or treatment of lung problems.

Good luck to you!

[conosmom]

My son Connor is 15 months old he has a very weazy and horse sounding he isnt going to the doctors for another couple hours and i've givin him his nebulizer treatments what can i do in the mean time.