1. Childhood Lung Diseases Have Many Causes
Childhood lung diseases include a number of conditions in which the lungs do not function properly and breathing is impaired. Asthma, cystic fibrosis, influenza, pneumonia and other infections are common causes of childhood lung diseases. Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, causes a significant proportion of childhood lung diseases in children less than 1 year of age. Low-birth-weight and premature infants are at greater risk of lung problems than full-term infants of normal weight because their lungs may not have had time to develop completely before birth. While some childhood lung diseases may be milder than others, they all require prompt diagnosis and treatment when indicated to prevent serious complications.
2. Shortness of Breath is a Common Symptom
The symptoms of childhood lung diseases are shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing and sometimes pain, tightness or pressure in the chest. While all of these symptoms may not be present at the same time, it is important to take your child to the doctor if he complains that it feels difficult to breath or if you notice that he seems short of breath, whether after physical exertion or even during normal, everyday activities.
3. Diagnosis Dependent Upon Thorough Examination
Childhood lung diseases are diagnosed differently depending upon your child's age, her symptoms and their severity and duration, and sometimes the time of year since certain infections that cause childhood lung diseases are more prevalent in the winter and spring. To diagnose childhood lung infections, doctors may use clinical examination, family history, X-rays, blood tests and a test called pulse oximetry that measures the level of oxygen in the blood. If asthma is suspected, your child's doctor may order a test called spirometry that measures how much air the lungs exhale.
4. Childhood Lung Diseases Have Different Treatments
While childhood lung diseases may have similar symptoms, their treatment may be vastly different depending upon their cause. Bacterial infections like pneumonia are treated with antibiotics, while asthma usually is treated with allergy shots or medicine and inhaled bronchodilators, which give immediate relief during an asthma attack by relaxing the muscles constricting the airways. Many treatments are now available to decrease the symptoms of cystic fibrosis, which is an inherited disease that causes thick mucus to block the airways. If your child has cystic fibrosis, his doctor may prescribe antibiotics, bronchodilators and therapies designed to force the mucus out of the lungs.
5. Early Prevention Goes a Long Way
One important way to prevent some childhood lung diseases is to avoid smoking during pregnancy. You should also avoid smoking around your baby after birth since second-hand smoke can contribute to childhood lung diseases. Proper hand washing before eating and while preparing food can help reduce your child's risk of contracting an infection that can cause childhood lung diseases. If your child shows symptoms of allergies, a prompt visit to the allergist for treatment may help prevent her from developing more serious symptoms of childhood lung disease.
