Chapter 3 - Respiratory disorders

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of respiratory disorders. Recurrent cough, cold, sore throat, and otitis media are normal in childhood. Social factors, the environment, and family psychopathology greatly affect the child's presentation to medical care and must be taken into account. Recurrent nasal discharge and bronchitis may be presenting features of atopy, particularly if the discharge is non-purulent and there is no fever. There may be an individual, past, or family history of eczema, asthma, hay fever, or allergy to food or cheap jewelry. Pulmonary hemosiderosis is characterized by recurrent pulmonary infiltrates because of alveolar hemorrhage, iron deficiency anemia and hemosiderin-laden macrophages in sputum or gastric aspirate. In adults' connective tissue disease, hemorrhagic disorder, Goodpasture's syndrome, or pulmonary venous hypertension are associated. In young children, no specific cause is usually found; however, some cases are associated with cow's milk precipitins or gluten enteropathy.