An Eye Opener for me! - Support Group for Moms, Dads, Grandparents and other caregivers of Babies with Infant Reflux and GERD

gino545 · 08-31-2009, 12:18 PM

Hi! I'm new here and have been exploring the site and finding all kinds of amazing things! First of all, a little background on my son, Evan, who is 6 months old. He has had GERD since he was about 3 weeks old, but wasn't diagnosed until he was 8 weeks old. 3 days after being diagnosed, he came down with RSV(which is a virus that inflames airways, hence constricting them). It hit him so hard, that within a day he had to be rushed to a children's hospital and put on a ventilator for 2 weeks. Since then, we have had to watch him very closely and whenever he gets a cold or anything upper respiratory, we have to use his nebulizer with albuterol and pulmicort. Anyway, one thing I was wondering after reading things on this site, is do you think he has developed asthma because of his GERD? In that same respect, do you think RSV hit him so hard because of his already compromised airways because of reflux? My gut is telling me all of this is connected in some way, but I had never heard of reflux and asthma going hand in hand (none of our Drs have said anything which I can't believe now). I finally feel like there's an explanation for everything our little guy has gone through in 6 months. Anybody have any thoughts or tips on our situation?? Thank you so much!

AvasMommy · 09-02-2009, 10:29 AM

Lori is our respiratory expert around here, so I know she'll have some good info for you, but there are plenty of moms here who are dealing with airway issues in their kids. Are you seeing a pulmonologist? It might be a good idea to schedule a consult with one and just talk about Cooper's issues.

! Welcome to IRD!

***Twins plus Two*** · 09-02-2009, 10:54 AM

I agree Lori is the one to ask

Harry had bronchiolitis aged 2 weeks, almost cert precipitated by reflux and went on to develop fairly severe asthma with several hospital admissions, one nearly requiring intubation. However.... once he outgrew his reflux, the asthma went! Then over the past year he has developed hay fever and mild reflux and guess what - mild asthma too.

It would certainly be possible, but if so then when the reflux was properly medicated (Harry was denied ALL meds as a baby because he was gaining......) the asthma should go.

kate x

scarlet · 09-02-2009, 07:14 PM

Reflux and asthma are definately related. We had a pH probe once and that alone could tell which episodes of asthma caused the reflux and which were plain reflux. To be honest, I am kind of weirded out that they have diagnosed a 6 month old with ashtma with no reason at all. I would definately getting to a resp or pulminologist who would know more about this. Here they don't diagnose asthma until 18 months (at least) unless something else is going on.

gino545 · 09-02-2009, 09:36 PM

Thank you everybody! I guess they haven't technically diagnosed him with asthma, but when he got bronchitis in June, they heard the wheezing and said he has most likely developed asthma from the severe RSV and hospitalization. He definitely wheezes a lot more right after eating or right after spitting up, and his barking cough has been around since he was only a couple of weeks old (which I just always knew wasn't right). When we go for his well visit in a week or so I will definitely be pursuing this issue and seeing if we can be referred to a pulmonologist. Any other thoughts or opinions are welcome! Thanks again!

Lori · 09-02-2009, 10:25 PM

While reflux can definitely worsen already irritated airways, I would tend to believe the RSV and subsequent ventilator stay is the real culprit. RSV creates a tremendous amount of inflammation in the airways. This inflammation may take several weeks to months to fully resolve. Also, the ventilator...while it is an absolute life-saving necessity, if not managed extremely carefully, and sometimes even if managed well, positive pressure ventilations cause some damage to the tissue in the lungs. It is, in fact, a necessary evil. Think of premature infants...their risk of long-term lung issues is very high. It's not that there was anything structurally wrong with their lungs, it's the assistance we have to provide to them via ventilator that causes the problem. Would I ever not put my child on a ventilator because of that? Absolutely not, because the alternative is death. Once again, this damage (especially with Evan who was vented such a short time) is likely nothing more than inflammation, and again it will likely improve over weeks to months. He may remain at a greater risk of lung complications (wheezing, coughing, asthma-like symptoms) anytime he gets a cold, virus, etc...hence the need to closely monitor and resume the albuterol (for the bronchoconstriction) and Pulmicort (a steroid to treat the inflammation).

FYI...bronchitis alone will cause wheezing, it doesn't necessarily mean he has asthma. Bronchitis is airway inflammation - a cold probably triggered it again. RSV is a virus and would not be caused by the GERD/reflux. It was a coincidence that both were diagnosed so quickly together.

Now, for the GERD connection. Given your son's RSV and ventilator history making him more prone to respiratory problems (like the bronchitis), GERD may trigger reactive airways episodes for your son. If you think this is happening, ask your physician about continuing the Pulmicort on a daily basis, regardless of whether or not he is having respiratory problems. Pulmicort will help to prevent inflammation and is considered a controller or maintenance medication. Albuterol is strictly for acute symptom relief, and does nothing to prevent or treat airway inflammation. I think a consultation with a pulmonologist is definitely in order.

gino545 · 09-04-2009, 05:25 PM

Thank you so much for your response Lori. Everything you said sounds so right, especially the part about asking if we should do a daily treatment of Pulmicort. I'm going to ask that at his upcoming well visit. We saw a GI specialist in early July, but they said he'd just "outgrow" it. Easier said than done when we're the ones home watching him suffer! But I know eventually it'll get better, it's definitely hard.

With the RSV, we agree that his diagnosis of GERD and RSV within a 3 day period were a coincidence. My question was is it possible that the RSV hit him so hard BECAUSE he had already irritated and inflamed airways? Because until that moment, he had never had any health issues, it was so crazy how fast he went from a small cough to barely breathing. Thank you again for your response!!

Lori · 09-04-2009, 06:32 PM

RSV tends to hit younger babies (like Evan) harder..they have little natural defense, their airways are so much smaller and more easily occluded by inflammation and the copious green gunk (highly technical RT term

) produced with RSV. I won't say the GERD didn't already have those airways inflammed, but it's possible the two weren't linked at all.

It sounds like you have some good questions in mind for your upcoming appointment. I'm always around here on the boards if you need anything. Please don't hesitate.

***Katey*** · 09-05-2009, 08:06 AM

Good luck with you apt. I agree that a pulmonologist sounds like a good idea.

gino545 · 09-05-2009, 10:24 AM

Thank you everyone! I'll keep you posted on what happens at our next Dr's appt. He just came down with a cold this week (along with big brother), you gotta love the first week of me back at work teaching! I probably brought it home already! Thankfully Evan's breathing seems pretty good so far. Thanks again everyone! Happy Labor Day!