Query

Question

I would like your opinion about my baby. He is 9 months old and weighs 9.6 kg and is 71 cm tall. Since a month ago he has wet cough. My pediatrician said it was just a viral infection. He administered mucosolvan® (substance: ambroxol to losen the mucus) and spiropent® (substance: clenbuterol, a beta-2 mimetics to widen the bronchi) but without any result. Afterwards he administered xozal® (substance: levoceterizine, an antihistamine for reducing allergic symptoms) and protagol but still the baby has this wet cough. He eats very well but I am afraid about him having CF. My husband was tested for 80% of the CF mutations with negative results and the IRT test done at the baby after it was born was negative as well. I am still afraid. What is your opinion?

Answer

Dear friend,
You have an infant with normal growth, height and weight that has a persisting wet cough for a month.
You do not mention if you have other kids, or if you bring your baby to the nursery, or why you have this particular anxiety about CF.
The symptoms you mention can be attributed to many causes, such as bronchial asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, immunodeficiency, Kartagener syndrome and cystic fibrosis.
The possibility for CF, due to the negative results of your husband’s genetic testing and due to the negative results of the IRT test of your baby, is negligible to improbable and you should not worry about it.
You should talk with your pediatrician and investigate the usual causes I mentioned above.
Happy holidays,
Dr. Anna Katelari-Ioannidou

30.12.2013