Pediatric Pulmonology

Very common in children, bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi of viral origin, most of the time. It is mainly manifested by a heavy cough which is often accompanied by a burning sensation in the chest, fever and general malaise.

Bronchitis progresses spontaneously towards recovery in healthy children, but certain drugs can however be prescribed to improve the patient's comfort: antipyretic in case of fever and possibly bronchial thinners or bronchodilators.

Bronchiolitis is a very contagious respiratory disease that mainly affects babies: around 30% of children under 2 years of age are affected by bronchiolitis each year. Symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold except that the cough here is usually accompanied by wheezing or rapid breathing, or tightness near the ribs.

In case of bronchiolitis, it is important to relieve nasal congestion with enemas and to control the progression of the disease. In toddlers, it can cause significant breathing difficulties requiring treatment with bronchodilators, or even oxygen.

In children, as in adults, asthma can manifest itself chronically, throughout the year, or in crises, generally linked to environmental factors (allergies in particular), infectious or during increased effort or activity. Seizures tend to be more frequent at night and in the early morning. Symptoms experienced during an asthma attack usually include varying degrees of difficulty breathing, a feeling of suffocation, wheezing, and sometimes a dry cough. Several examinations may be necessary to diagnose asthma in children (clinical examination, chest x-ray, spirometry, plethysmography, allergic assessment, etc.) and the treatment will depend on the severity of the disease.

Sleep apnea is a partial or total obstruction of the upper airways during sleep. It is estimated that 2-4% of children suffer from sleep apnea. Some sign can alert parents and in particular:

• Heavy snoring at night
• Excessive sweating
• Breathing with your mouth open
• A restless sleep or many awakenings
• Headaches when you wake up

In younger people, sleep apnea may be linked to an increase in the volume of adenoids. If in doubt, do not hesitate to make an appointment with a specialized pediatrician.

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic disease that causes serious respiratory problems, which tend to worsen with age. In very young children, respiratory infections are generally more numerous than in a healthy individual, and other symptoms are added most of the time such as shortness of breath or even respiratory failure. Cystic fibrosis is also accompanied by digestive complications (impaired digestion of fats, gastroesophageal reflux, etc.).

A regular medical follow-up is necessary to prevent and diagnose a relapse, an aggravation or a possible complication of the disease, but also monitor the general growth of the young patient.