the docs checked my 4 1/2 year old niece and she has chronic bronchtitus...i am worried for her?

Question

she has been coughing alot lately and has been really really cold. can you tell me the dos and donts and things i should be aware of and that can help her?? our family does NOT SMOKE ...and they say that the common cause is because of smoking and that the coughing is referred to as the smokers cough....NONE of us smoke so what can be the cause?

and we do NOT have a family history of this disease

Answer 1

Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation, or irritation, of the airways in the lungs. Airways are the tubes in your lungs that air passes through. They are also called bronchial tubes. When the airways are irritated, thick mucus forms in them. The mucus plugs up the airways and makes it hard for you to get air into your lungs. Symptoms of chronic bronchitis include a cough that produces mucus (sometimes called sputum), trouble breathing and a feeling of tightness in your chest.

Cigarette smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis. When tobacco smoke is inhaled into the lungs, it irritates the airways and they produce mucus. People who have been exposed for a long time to other things that irritate their lungs, such as chemical fumes, dust and other substances, can also get chronic bronchitis.

Try to avoid other things that can irritate your lungs, such as aerosol products like hairspray, spray deodorant and spray paint. Also avoid breathing in dust or chemical fumes. To protect your lungs, wear a mask over your nose and mouth if you are using paint, paint remover, varnish, or anything else with strong fumes.

Exercising regularly can strengthen the muscles that help you breathe. Try to exercise at least 3 times a week. Start by exercising slowly and for just a little while. Then slowly increase the time you exercise each day and how fast you exercise. For example, you might begin exercising by walking slowly for 15 minutes 3 times a week. Then, as you get in better shape, you can increase your walking speed. You can also increase the length of time you walk to 20 minutes, then 25 minutes, then 30 minutes. Ask your doctor for help creating an exercise plan that's right for you.

Chronic bronchitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by a cough productive of sputum for over three months' duration during two consecutive years and the presence of airflow obstruction. Pulmonary function testing aids in the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis by documenting the extent of reversibility of airflow obstruction. A better understanding of the role of inflammatory mediators in chronic bronchitis has led to greater emphasis on management of airway inflammation and relief of bronchospasm. Inhaled ipratropium bromide and sympathomimetic agents are the current mainstays of management. While theophylline has long been an important therapy, its use is limited by a narrow therapeutic range and interaction with other agents. Oral steroid therapy should be reserved for use in patients with demonstrated improvement in airflow not achievable with inhaled agents. Antibiotics play a role in acute exacerbations but have been shown to lead to only modest airflow improvement. Strengthening of the respiratory muscles, smoking cessation, supplemental oxygen, hydration and nutritional support also play key roles in long-term management of chronic bronchitis.


Chronic bronchitis is one of the principal manifestations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. About 10 million Americans are affected by some degree of COPD; it causes 40,000 deaths annually.1

Chronic bronchitis is a clinical diagnosis characterized by a cough productive of sputum for over three months' duration during two consecutive years and airflow obstruction. These requisites exclude more transient causes of cough associated with sputum production, such as acute bronchitis. The airflow obstruction in chronic bronchitis is caused by excessive tracheobronchial mucus production and is distinct from the anatomic findings of distal air space distention and alveolar septa destruction, which define emphysema.2

Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis are the three leading bacterial pathogens isolated from the lower bronchi of patients with chronic bronchitis, in contrast to the causative organisms of acute bronchitis, which include Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia trachomatis. However, studies of acutely symptomatic patients with COPD have failed to reveal definite organisms in over 50 percent of patients.4 Nonbacterial pathogens (such as viruses) and Chlamydia and Mycoplasma species are also, rarely, isolated in patients with chronic bronchitis, although their role in either causing symptoms directly or triggering the characteristic inflammatory response is poorly understood.

One speculative explanation of the interaction between infection and chronic bronchitis is that low-intensity colonization of the lower respiratory tract by infectious agents can set up an inflammatory reaction that itself triggers subsequent acute exacerbations.5 Documentation supporting this concept comes from studies in which patients with chronic bronchitis were found to have circulating bacteria-specific IgE that triggered release of histamine following exposure to the same bacteria cultured from their lower respiratory tracts.6,7 Additional mechanisms, such as neurogenic inflammation, may then develop, and the symptomatic flare-up of chronic bronchitis may continue by means of sustained inflammatory mediators.8,9 These and similar studies are the reason for greater therapeutic emphasis on reducing airway inflammation in chronic bronchitis.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

I would have her worked up for allergies firstly.
Is there any history of cystic fibrosis in the family?
Just have her checked out by an allergist first off.. then they'll be able to look for other problems.