Children & Pulmonary Disease

Pulmonary disease is a disorder affecting the lungs and airways. It is responsible for one out of every seven deaths in the United States. Over 35 million people in America have some sort of pulmonary disease, including children.

Types

• Types of pulmonary diseases in children include asthma, COPD (chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder), and pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Effects

• Children who suffer from pulmonary disease will experience shortness of breath and wheezing. In severe cases they will cough up blood and cyanosis (a bluish discoloration of the skin) will be present.

Causes

• Many causes of pulmonary diseases are not known. However, genetic and environmental factors are thought to increase the likelihood of a child getting a pulmonary disease.

Identification

• To identify whether or not a child has a pulmonary disease, a doctor will take a medical history and perform a physical exam. The doctor will take a chest x-ray and have the child complete a spirometry test to measure how well the child breathes.

Treatments

• The treatment for pulmonary disease depends on what type it is. For many pulmonary diseases, the treatment consists of medication and lifestyle changes.