Reactive airway disease?

[rxmommy]

Anybody have a DC diagnosed with reactive airway disease? What do they do to treat it??

My 6.5-month-old is on her 2nd course of antibiotics and has already had pneumonia once. Her lungs sounded horrible and she's been coughing for 2 weeks now. I had her checked out right away when she started coughing, chest x-ray and all, and she was fine then. So it seems she just can't fight this stuff and it gets into her lungs. NP mentioned the possibility of reactive airway disease, or even pertussis (I think unlikely). Nebulizer treatments do seem to really help. My older dd has allergies and takes medications and is also coughing (but nothing wrong with her lungs). I feel bad for my girls and I'm really nervous about RSV and the flu!

[lombardowa]

My daughter has reactive airway disease. She takes allergy medicine and nebulizer treatments as needed. I think it's a form of asthma. She has so many medical problems it's hard to keep up though

[Mindi]

RAD is another term for asthma. It is usually diagnosed with smaller children b/c asthma cannot be properly diagnosed on a smaller child.
My one sond has RAD and breathing treatments help him dramatically. My dd also has asthma.
When your child is old enough to be able to perform a PFT (pulmonary function test) it is the best way to determine true asthma.
If you need help with anything please feel free to pm or email me. I have been dealing with this for many years. Also my DH is a Registered Respiratory Therapist

[geckoed]

they can do steroid nebs, or just bronchodilators via neb as needed. Some kids go on allergy meds if allergies trigger the symptoms.

[TwinKristi]

This sounds like what my daycare guy has. He'll be out 3 days this week for pneumonia and was almost hospitalized last night after being in the ER all day and night with O2 stats of like 92... The neb wasn't bringing it up at all so they figured he'd do better at home with mom and brother than in the PICU. He was there exactly 1yr ago for the same thing! He had RSV and pneumonia, double ear infection his whole 1st yr and FINALLY got approved for tubes about 6 mos ago. He's done a lot better since then. It was kinda ironic b/c he was EBF for the first 8mos and sicker than any baby I knew! He does live with a smoker though but didn't when it all started so they can't say that its WHY, but it doesn't help. I got air purifiers for every room in my house when I started watching him so that I didn't aggrivate anything. We live in an older (40's) house and don't have the best ventilation... but we're working on it.
They started him on Kids Claritin (OTC) and a neb w/ pulmicort & albuterol which is also what my DS was on when he had a viral thing going on but tested neg for RSV. They had the same treatment so she said just to treat him like he had RSV and so this yr we have to be careful again, esp. with my daycare guy already having pneumonia!

[momtothreeboys]

My 3 yo had this and it started at 3 months with RSV. He was on neb treatment with accuneb and pulmicort for about a year. During that time he was constantly coughing and weasing. My son does not have asthma and it doed not mean that he has asthma. My son has not had any problems in 18 months and he is fine. He was diagnosed with Rad at 6 mths. Make sure you get it checked constantly because sometine his pue oxygen was low but he looked fine. I went for visits every week to 2 weeks for a good 6 months. Mt ped told me at the time that most kids grow out of it. Keep your head up, and

[twinsmomkatie]

Originally Posted by rxmommy Anybody have a DC diagnosed with reactive airway disease? What do they do to treat it?? My 6.5-month-old is on her 2nd course of antibiotics and has already had pneumonia once. Her lungs sounded horrible and she's been coughing for 2 weeks now. I had her checked out right away when she started coughing, chest x-ray and all, and she was fine then. So it seems she just can't fight this stuff and it gets into her lungs. NP mentioned the possibility of reactive airway disease, or even pertussis (I think unlikely). Nebulizer treatments do seem to really help. My older dd has allergies and takes medications and is also coughing (but nothing wrong with her lungs). I feel bad for my girls and I'm really nervous about RSV and the flu!

SAME EXACT THING here with DS! He's now 11 months, and we haven't had ANY trouble since the last flare-up in June/July. He does have a cold right now, and I'm watching him extra-carefully, but so far, "just" a bad cold.

Hugs, mama! I know how scary it is when your little one can't breathe right!

[Newtocloth2006]

I have no advice, but wanted to give you and hope she gets better.

[mommabug42006]

My youngest DS was diagnosed with RAD at 5 weeks, he sounded weezy to me and his fingernails were turning blue, rushed him to the ER his ox-pulse was only 88 which is very low. He was admitted to the hospital for the night for observation and they off for the rounds with the specialist. They had him on singular, abuterol neb, and rinocourt. It was scary and still is sometimes but as they get older it is alot easier. I hope everything works out for you momma!