Archive for tracheomalacia
Optimizing care for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, infant by infant
Preterm newborns with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) can require ongoing mechanical ventilation to support their lungs. But babies with BPD aren’t just newborns with underdeveloped lungs. Each has a unique presentation. And every part of their care is important, with the ultimate goal of enabling them to grow, develop, and go home to their families. The ... Read More about Optimizing care for bronchopulmonary dysplasia, infant by infant
Soft stents, hardened in place by UV light, allow a snug, custom fit
Airway stents are often used when the trachea and bronchi need to be buttressed, as in children and adults with tracheobronchomalacia whose airways become “floppy” and collapse during normal breathing. This condition can occur in conjunction with congenital cardiac anomalies in which the major heart vessels compress the trachea, and with severe, recurrent bronchitis. But ... Read More about Soft stents, hardened in place by UV light, allow a snug, custom fit
Five things parents should know about vascular rings
If your child has a high-pitched cough, breathes loudly, wheezes, has difficulty eating or swallowing, or always seems to be coming down with pneumonia or respiratory infections, the problem could be more complex than you realize. Although rare, abnormal formations of the blood vessels called vascular rings can compress the trachea, esophagus, or both. While ... Read More about Five things parents should know about vascular rings
Vascular rings: A complex cause of noisy breathing
Patients who present with noisy breathing, wheezing, a barking cough, and frequent respiratory infections are often misdiagnosed with asthma or croup, but a more complex problem could be responsible. Such symptoms can signal tracheomalacia (also known as tracheobronchomalacia), a condition in which the airway narrows or collapses when a child breathes. But clinicians should consider ... Read More about Vascular rings: A complex cause of noisy breathing
A note for my nurse
In honor of Nurses’ Week, we asked a few of our patients and their families to share what their favorite nurse means to them. Jack — Leah Frain, FNP “Leah is a kind and beautiful lady. She helps kids stop getting sick. I like giving her hugs. And kisses, too! My favorite memory of Leah ... Read More about A note for my nurse
More than a cough: Advocating for Jack
By the time he was 2 years old, Jack Baker had made some 20 trips to the emergency department and had been hospitalized about 10 times. For much of his young life, the little boy had struggled with a cough that his parents, Katie and Rick, could only describe as a barking, seal-like noise. He ... Read More about More than a cough: Advocating for Jack
Noisy breathing? It could be tracheomalacia
DJ is at his pediatrician’s office with his third bout of pneumonia this year. Katie wants to play soccer, but gasps for air when she exerts herself. Sarah’s parents have learned CPR because she has stopped breathing so many times. Although these kids appear to have very different problems, they all have one underlying cause: tracheomalacia. ... Read More about Noisy breathing? It could be tracheomalacia