Chronic Lung Disease

Chronic Lung Disease: It's Not Just For The Elderly

When you hear the words Chronic Lung Disease, most people think of older people walking around with nasal cannula's, dragging around an oxygen tank. Very few people would think of a baby with Chronic Lung Disease. So you can imagine how heartbroken and confused I was when Liam was diagnosed with Chronic Lung Disease. Come to find out, Chronic Lung Disease is just another way of saying Longer Term Respiratory Problems. Although its mostly used for premature babies and the elderly, others can develop it too. It is also known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). 

What causes Chronic Lung Disease?
-Prematurity: the lungs, especially the the air sacs, are not fully developed.
-Low amounts of surfactant (a substance in the lungs that helps keep the air sacs open).
-Oxygen Use (high levels of oxygen can cause damage to the lungs cells).
-Mechanical ventilation- the pressure of air from breathing machines, suctioning of the airways, use of an endotrachael tube (a tube placed in the tracheal and hooked to a breathing machine).

Who is affected by Chronic Lung Disease?
-birth at less than 30 weeks gestation.
-birth weight less than 2 pounds to 3 pounds 5 ounces.
-hyaline membrane disease- lung disease of prematurity due to lack of surfactant that does not show the usual improvement by the third or fourth day.
-pulmonary interstitial emphysema (PIE)- a problem in which air leaks out of airways into the spaces between the small air sacs and the lungs.
-patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)- a connection between the blood vessel of the heart and lungs that does not close as it should after birth.
-premature Caucasian, male babies are at greater risk to develop BPD
-maternal womb infection (chorioamnionitis).
-a family history of asthma.
-breathing problems at birth.
-develop an infection during or shortly after birth.

What are the symptoms of Chronic Lung Disease?
-respiratory distress (rapid breathing, flaring of the nostrils, grunting, chest retractions).
-continued need for mechanical ventilation or oxygen after a premature reaches 36 weeks gestation.

How is Chronic Lung Disease diagnosed?
Blood test (used to determine if enough oxygen is in the blood) and an echocardiography (test that uses sound waves to create images of the heart to rule out defects) are also used to confirm cases of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Treatment of Chronic Lung Disease:
-your babies gestational age, overall health and medical history.
-extend of the disease
your babies tolerance for specific medications, procedures, and therapies.
-expectations for the course of the disease.
-your opinion or preference.
-extra oxygen (to make up for the decreased breathing ability of the damaged lungs) and a pulse oximetry to measure how much oxygen is in the blood.
-mechanical ventilation with gradual weaning as the baby's lungs grow and can do more of the work of breathing.
-surfactant replacement.
-medications such as:
          -bronchodilators (to help open the airways)
          -steroids (to help with inflammation)
          -diuretics (to help reduce excess fluid)
          -antibiotics (to fight infection)
          -intravenous fluids and nutrition (to help the baby and the lungs grow). It is important to           monitor the fluid intake, because excess fluids can build up in the lungs and worsen the infants breathing ability.
          -radiant warmers or incubators to keep the baby warm and decrease the risks of developing an infection.
          -immunization against lung infection by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza.



Information here was taken from http://www.lpch.org/HealthLibrary/respire/cld.html and is for educational purposes. Always seek medical attention and advice when it comes to your health.

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