What may increase your child's risk for problems from a respiratory illness?
Many conditions, medicines, and diseases interfere with the body's ability to heal or fight infection. Your child may be at risk for a more serious problem from the symptoms if he or she has any of the following. Be sure to tell your child's health professional.
Conditions
- Babies born prematurely. This risk continues until the child is 6 months older than when he or she was expected to be born.
- Babies younger than age 3 months
- Contact with infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB)
- Exposure to tobacco smoke before birth (prenatal)
- Exposure to smoke, dust, or fumes
- History of any heart defects present from birth
- Living with smokers or regularly exposed to secondhand smoke
Medicines
- Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
- Medicines to prevent organ transplant rejection
- Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy)
- Radiation therapy
Diseases
- Allergic diseases, such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) or hives
- Chronic respiratory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis and asthma, or a family history of these diseases
- Diabetes
- Diseases of the immune system, such as HIV infection
- Sickle cell disease
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: February 25, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics | |
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