My 10 month old daughter was recently diagnosed with "restrictive airway disease", and from what the doctor has told me and what I have researched I think it's the same thing as asthma, just not a permant word on her medical file. I'm looking for any help I can possibly get on the subject, it's frustrating to me to not know anything about what she's going through. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Hi AlexisS
Gosh they're covering a multitude of sins with that diagnosis. It sounds to me like "We think it's asthma but we're not very sure so we'll just call it something more vague in case we get it wrong."

Lots of babies get something called bronchiolitis - inflamation of the bronchioles in the lungs - that could be described as 'restrictive airway disease, just like asthma, bronchitis & other similar ailments.

If I were you I'd go back to the doctors who made the diagnosis & ask them exactly what they mean. I think you deserve a bit more explanation from them!

Good luck & I hope your wee girl gets better soon.

Lidia
:)

I just found out from my dr today that restrictive airway disease is not asthma. Asthma is obstructive. And my lung function tests and my methocholine challenge says I have both.

My little sister had restrictive airway disease when she was younger (kindergarten age...she's in 4th grade now) All I remember is she was taken to emergency and then admitted to the hospital because she had an extremely low oxygen level, I don't remember the number...but it was dangerously low and the doctors said it was good that my parents didn't wait any longer than they did to bring her in. She basically would cough a lot and would get a lot of colds...she was given a neubulizer (sp?) to use with albuterol treatments. She used this fairly often for about a year..and now, I can't remember the last time she used it. Doctors say this is a condition that most people grow out of.