Hemoptysis - four year old

kitomd21

New member
DD coughed up a small amount of blood mixed with phlegm/foam. She seemed to be having a brochospasm at the time. This is our first time seeing blood with coughing. I've put calls into her nurse and doctor. Not sure how to proceed today. The spasm has stopped...thank God. However, I don't know what the standard is after hemoptysis. No nebulized therapies for the day? Decrease CPT? Trying not to worry. Not sure how 'normal' this can be. :( Hoping to hear from her team soon...
 

Printer

Active member
kitomd21:

You can relax. A small amount of blood, as you describe, is very normal. It becomes an issue when the volumn is about a half a cupful.

Bill
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
The first time is always the scariest!...But yes, just hold all nebs and therapy until you talk to your clinic. They may tell you to hold everything for a day or two just to be on the safe side.
 

beleache

New member
I hope drs have gotten in touch with you by know. I would hold all therapies until you speak with them. Thoughts, Prayers & {{{hugs}}}
 

kitomd21

New member
Thanks everyone. The plan is to stop airway clearance for two days. Xray and culture ordered...rx'd Augmentin....
 

hmw

New member
It is very scary the first time this happens! I'm glad you heard back and have a plan. I hope it doesn't happen again.

Emily has been coughing up small amounts of blood streaked sputum for a while when she's sick and its part of her established "normal" for exacerbations. The first time she started coughing up foamy pink and red, not really a lot of thick mucus in it, was very scary. It was a long coughing fit that just went on and on and she coughed up several ounces into a cup. When we saw her dr shortly after, he showed me using a sputum cup how much would be worrisome with a child her age, and reminded me how vast of a surface their lung tissue really is if you were to spread it all out, and that a little bit of bleeding often looks MUCH worse than it is once it mixes with sputum and saliva.
 

kitomd21

New member
Her XRAY essentially showed bronchitis...and "changes consistent with cystic fibrosis". Love when they add that last part. Her cough it pretty much nonexistent now....
 
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