Recurring infections

Question

Hello,
My son has infections permanently. After a fortnight-long oral antibiotic treatment he gets a new infection at the latest after another 14 days. He is desperate and would like to have a longer healthy period. School attendance is also heavily affected.
Best regards

Answer

Hello,

I assume that your son has cystic fibrosis. Unfortunately I do not know the exact age but since your son already attends school I assume that the age, where children typically tend to have many infections, is already over.
It should be clarified with the attending doctor if it is really a new infection every time or if, e.g., the cough gets stronger after a while when the antibiotic treatment was finished “only” because of the cystic fibrosis.
Infections are mostly caused by viruses and show indications like common cold, sore throat and are often accompanied by fever. If only the cough gets stronger it is more a matter of a typical phenomenon in cystic fibrosis. If it is really a new infection every time, your CF doctor should check if there is a dysfunction in the immune system. It is also important to get a flu vaccination in autumn on a regular basis.

If it is the strong recurring cough in CF, you should talk to your son’s CF doctor, if an oral long-term antibiotic treatment should be made. Before starting, an X-ray of the lungs should be made in order to exclude an anomaly of the lungs leads to the increased cough.
It should also be considered if maybe nocturnal aspiration in case of a reflux disease could cause the problem.
We hope that your son will experience an easier period soon.
Best regards,
Dr. H.-G. Posselt

01.08.2011