Infant chest infections - possible underlying condition?

[KJ007]

My baby suffered Infant respitory distress syndrome caused by a chest infection contracted in her first 24 hours and was hospitalised for a week.

She has recently been discharged from the consultant but soon after has contracted another nasty chest infection that is being treated under our GP. GP doesn't seem to think this is anything to be concerned about but I cant help but think that to have 2 chest infections in such close succession at less than 10 wks old means she must have some underlying condition, am I being a bit mad?

Your not being mad and you're bound to worry. A chest infection so early on can mean they become more sensitive/ more likely to get one. If they get a cold etc its more likely to go to their chest I'm afraid.

If you are still concerned you can always ask for a referral or a second opinion and they can't say no. Sure it's nothing to worry about but it might put your mind at ease.

My DD was 8 months old when she went into respiratory distress. We were already at hospital thankfully but that is another story.

After much drama and transfer to another hospital, she was diagnosed with pneumonia. Recovered and went home about after a week or so.

Within 5 days she was back in hospital with a chest infection and this pattern repeated for 6 months or so. She would get a cold, then it went to her chest etc etc.

She was tested for every underlying condition they could think of, including cystic fybrosis - all negative.

She is now a healthy 8 year old although still on a steroid inhaler daily. Rarely users blue inhaler.

So no, it doesn't have to be an underlying condition, she may be more susceptible to chest problems though.

HTH

Thank you for replying, it's all been quite a Traumatic experience if I'm honest so never sure if I'm being overly anxious or have reasonable cause for concern. I think if it happens again I'll ask for a referral, better to be safe then sorry

Piggy thanks for your reply, DD diagnosed with pneumonia when hospitalised and can't say that cystic fibrosis hasnt crossed my mind, the only thing that has stopped me panicking about it is that her phlegm is clear rather than purulent (sorry if TMI).

Docs been very blasé about it so far, was told she was completely recovered and 'normal' when discharged by consultant and GP just prescribed anti-bs and sent me packing! Taking it as a good sign but Keeping a close eye on her all the same

Hello, this is my first time on here an i thought my problem fitted in with this discussion. My little boy is 16 months and he is milk and egg intolerant , bad atopic eczema and seems to constantly be getting colds/ear infections/chest infections, im really worried he has an immune system diffenciancy or something but there seems to be no one, gp or pead, that ever listens!!!has anyone elses LO's had these problems????thanks :)

In DDs case they did not start any investigations until she had been ill a number of times - we almost had our own bed on the ward!

As nothing untoward was found I think she was left weakened by the first bout of pneumonia bit of course no-one would admit that!

Easier said than done but try not to worry too much at the moment and if she keeps on getting ill then push for more testing.

Essex, if he is milk intolerant have you checked his iron levels? This is just anecdotal but a NCT acquaintance with a lactose allergic baby ended up finding her child's repeated chest infections were due to iron deficiency. In their case the milk (Nutrigimen) was only available in a first version not follow on, which usually ups iron levels automatically. It took them a long time to find what the reason was for his illnesses, a simple deficiency. He is now a strapping 13 year old, but I just thought I would mention this incase it has skipped the radar of tests.

Hi Essex, feel your pain! Ds1 was milk intolerant, had eczema, lots of ear infections and chest infections. He was never off antibiotics longer than a week. No underlying problems ( I was worried about that at the time too) pleased to say grew out of the milk intolerance, asthma managed with steroid inhaler so only same amount of chest infections as any other kid. Eczema gone as long as I'm careful with soap etc and ear infections a lot less, just left with glue ear but touch wood it's stopped affecting his hearing.

He was just unlucky. (Ended up in hospital as allergic to a virus, sort of luck!) perfectly healthy, ebf, just one of those things. But grew out of them. hope that puts your mind at rest.
We did ask for a referral for his ears as he had so many infections, best thing we did as they monitored his hearing which was an issue at times.

Piggy that was the same story with Ds 2, again he now has an blue inhaler which helps but think when he gets old enough he'll probably have to have a steroid one as he uses it a lot.

My DD was 3 weeks with her first bad cough / chest infection and has had it again at least every month, now 7 months. We think she had an allergy to our cat as her symptoms vanished when we went on holiday. Our GP said allergy or asthma is often a cause of persistent chest infection.

All newborns are tested for cystic fibrosis as part of heel prick blood test, so I think you would have been contacted if it was that.