My 4 year old...help, please

[guacamole]

I'm sure it drives you nuts to read "Help, could my child have CF?" posts, but pllllleeeease bear with me!

My son is 4 years old. He has the following issues:

-Chronic wet-sounding cough, worsening. Cannot exercise anymore without coughing. Even tickling him makes him cough now. It sounds productive, but it's rare that I see any mucous come up. If I do, it's a spit-covered green glob. He has had a few respiratory illnesses, but didn't start the daily chronic coughing until last fall, just before his 4th birthday. If he isn't coughing, he is constantly clearing a wet-sounding throat. It's like he has a really bad respiratory infection, but he is NOT otherwise sick!

-Diarrhea, often with blood in it. His stools are almost never formed into anything firm. It looks like his stools have been exploded and then poured into the bottom of the bowl. The toilet paper usually has blood on it.

-ENORMOUS appetite. Can eat my husband and I under the table. He is relatively small, though. He eats and drinks ravenously and then poops it all out, it seems. (His sister is 7 and also tiny - she has fallen off the growth chart completely. But she has no other symptoms or health issues.)

-Complains of a stomach ache frequently. I put him on a gluten free/casein free diet, and it seemed to improve a bit?


I have taken him into his pediatrician 3 times about this cough, and finally last week, they diagnosed him with asthma, but I just do NOT believe that is the true issue. From everything I have read about asthma, it does not present with a wet, productive daily cough. It's usually dry. My pediatrician wants me to treat his respiratory problems with asthma meds, but I am afraid that doing so is just masking a greater problem. I started reading online, and it seems like he has a lot of CF symptoms.

Also, my ped is blaming the bloody diarrhea on an anal fissure - which I also think is a misdiagnosis, because I can see that the blood is actually IN the stool, not just on the paper. I asked her for a referral and some additional diagnostic testing (I didn't mention CF or anything else, this was before I had done any research), and she totally blew me off and shoved some asthma meds at me. I am considering taking him in for CF screening, but it will all be out-of-pocket and difficult for me, so I wanted to get some opinions from some experienced people here. Does it sound like I should pursue testing for him?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading this far!

 

[guacamole]

I'm sure it drives you nuts to read "Help, could my child have CF?" posts, but pllllleeeease bear with me!

My son is 4 years old. He has the following issues:

-Chronic wet-sounding cough, worsening. Cannot exercise anymore without coughing. Even tickling him makes him cough now. It sounds productive, but it's rare that I see any mucous come up. If I do, it's a spit-covered green glob. He has had a few respiratory illnesses, but didn't start the daily chronic coughing until last fall, just before his 4th birthday. If he isn't coughing, he is constantly clearing a wet-sounding throat. It's like he has a really bad respiratory infection, but he is NOT otherwise sick!

-Diarrhea, often with blood in it. His stools are almost never formed into anything firm. It looks like his stools have been exploded and then poured into the bottom of the bowl. The toilet paper usually has blood on it.

-ENORMOUS appetite. Can eat my husband and I under the table. He is relatively small, though. He eats and drinks ravenously and then poops it all out, it seems. (His sister is 7 and also tiny - she has fallen off the growth chart completely. But she has no other symptoms or health issues.)

-Complains of a stomach ache frequently. I put him on a gluten free/casein free diet, and it seemed to improve a bit?


I have taken him into his pediatrician 3 times about this cough, and finally last week, they diagnosed him with asthma, but I just do NOT believe that is the true issue. From everything I have read about asthma, it does not present with a wet, productive daily cough. It's usually dry. My pediatrician wants me to treat his respiratory problems with asthma meds, but I am afraid that doing so is just masking a greater problem. I started reading online, and it seems like he has a lot of CF symptoms.

Also, my ped is blaming the bloody diarrhea on an anal fissure - which I also think is a misdiagnosis, because I can see that the blood is actually IN the stool, not just on the paper. I asked her for a referral and some additional diagnostic testing (I didn't mention CF or anything else, this was before I had done any research), and she totally blew me off and shoved some asthma meds at me. I am considering taking him in for CF screening, but it will all be out-of-pocket and difficult for me, so I wanted to get some opinions from some experienced people here. Does it sound like I should pursue testing for him?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading this far!

 

[guacamole]

I'm sure it drives you nuts to read "Help, could my child have CF?" posts, but pllllleeeease bear with me!

My son is 4 years old. He has the following issues:

-Chronic wet-sounding cough, worsening. Cannot exercise anymore without coughing. Even tickling him makes him cough now. It sounds productive, but it's rare that I see any mucous come up. If I do, it's a spit-covered green glob. He has had a few respiratory illnesses, but didn't start the daily chronic coughing until last fall, just before his 4th birthday. If he isn't coughing, he is constantly clearing a wet-sounding throat. It's like he has a really bad respiratory infection, but he is NOT otherwise sick!

-Diarrhea, often with blood in it. His stools are almost never formed into anything firm. It looks like his stools have been exploded and then poured into the bottom of the bowl. The toilet paper usually has blood on it.

-ENORMOUS appetite. Can eat my husband and I under the table. He is relatively small, though. He eats and drinks ravenously and then poops it all out, it seems. (His sister is 7 and also tiny - she has fallen off the growth chart completely. But she has no other symptoms or health issues.)

-Complains of a stomach ache frequently. I put him on a gluten free/casein free diet, and it seemed to improve a bit?


I have taken him into his pediatrician 3 times about this cough, and finally last week, they diagnosed him with asthma, but I just do NOT believe that is the true issue. From everything I have read about asthma, it does not present with a wet, productive daily cough. It's usually dry. My pediatrician wants me to treat his respiratory problems with asthma meds, but I am afraid that doing so is just masking a greater problem. I started reading online, and it seems like he has a lot of CF symptoms.

Also, my ped is blaming the bloody diarrhea on an anal fissure - which I also think is a misdiagnosis, because I can see that the blood is actually IN the stool, not just on the paper. I asked her for a referral and some additional diagnostic testing (I didn't mention CF or anything else, this was before I had done any research), and she totally blew me off and shoved some asthma meds at me. I am considering taking him in for CF screening, but it will all be out-of-pocket and difficult for me, so I wanted to get some opinions from some experienced people here. Does it sound like I should pursue testing for him?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading this far!

 

[guacamole]

I'm sure it drives you nuts to read "Help, could my child have CF?" posts, but pllllleeeease bear with me!

My son is 4 years old. He has the following issues:

-Chronic wet-sounding cough, worsening. Cannot exercise anymore without coughing. Even tickling him makes him cough now. It sounds productive, but it's rare that I see any mucous come up. If I do, it's a spit-covered green glob. He has had a few respiratory illnesses, but didn't start the daily chronic coughing until last fall, just before his 4th birthday. If he isn't coughing, he is constantly clearing a wet-sounding throat. It's like he has a really bad respiratory infection, but he is NOT otherwise sick!

-Diarrhea, often with blood in it. His stools are almost never formed into anything firm. It looks like his stools have been exploded and then poured into the bottom of the bowl. The toilet paper usually has blood on it.

-ENORMOUS appetite. Can eat my husband and I under the table. He is relatively small, though. He eats and drinks ravenously and then poops it all out, it seems. (His sister is 7 and also tiny - she has fallen off the growth chart completely. But she has no other symptoms or health issues.)

-Complains of a stomach ache frequently. I put him on a gluten free/casein free diet, and it seemed to improve a bit?


I have taken him into his pediatrician 3 times about this cough, and finally last week, they diagnosed him with asthma, but I just do NOT believe that is the true issue. From everything I have read about asthma, it does not present with a wet, productive daily cough. It's usually dry. My pediatrician wants me to treat his respiratory problems with asthma meds, but I am afraid that doing so is just masking a greater problem. I started reading online, and it seems like he has a lot of CF symptoms.

Also, my ped is blaming the bloody diarrhea on an anal fissure - which I also think is a misdiagnosis, because I can see that the blood is actually IN the stool, not just on the paper. I asked her for a referral and some additional diagnostic testing (I didn't mention CF or anything else, this was before I had done any research), and she totally blew me off and shoved some asthma meds at me. I am considering taking him in for CF screening, but it will all be out-of-pocket and difficult for me, so I wanted to get some opinions from some experienced people here. Does it sound like I should pursue testing for him?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading this far!

 

[guacamole]

I'm sure it drives you nuts to read "Help, could my child have CF?" posts, but pllllleeeease bear with me!
<br />
<br />My son is 4 years old. He has the following issues:
<br />
<br />-Chronic wet-sounding cough, worsening. Cannot exercise anymore without coughing. Even tickling him makes him cough now. It sounds productive, but it's rare that I see any mucous come up. If I do, it's a spit-covered green glob. He has had a few respiratory illnesses, but didn't start the daily chronic coughing until last fall, just before his 4th birthday. If he isn't coughing, he is constantly clearing a wet-sounding throat. It's like he has a really bad respiratory infection, but he is NOT otherwise sick!
<br />
<br />-Diarrhea, often with blood in it. His stools are almost never formed into anything firm. It looks like his stools have been exploded and then poured into the bottom of the bowl. The toilet paper usually has blood on it.
<br />
<br />-ENORMOUS appetite. Can eat my husband and I under the table. He is relatively small, though. He eats and drinks ravenously and then poops it all out, it seems. (His sister is 7 and also tiny - she has fallen off the growth chart completely. But she has no other symptoms or health issues.)
<br />
<br />-Complains of a stomach ache frequently. I put him on a gluten free/casein free diet, and it seemed to improve a bit?
<br />
<br />
<br />I have taken him into his pediatrician 3 times about this cough, and finally last week, they diagnosed him with asthma, but I just do NOT believe that is the true issue. From everything I have read about asthma, it does not present with a wet, productive daily cough. It's usually dry. My pediatrician wants me to treat his respiratory problems with asthma meds, but I am afraid that doing so is just masking a greater problem. I started reading online, and it seems like he has a lot of CF symptoms.
<br />
<br /> Also, my ped is blaming the bloody diarrhea on an anal fissure - which I also think is a misdiagnosis, because I can see that the blood is actually IN the stool, not just on the paper. I asked her for a referral and some additional diagnostic testing (I didn't mention CF or anything else, this was before I had done any research), and she totally blew me off and shoved some asthma meds at me. I am considering taking him in for CF screening, but it will all be out-of-pocket and difficult for me, so I wanted to get some opinions from some experienced people here. Does it sound like I should pursue testing for him?
<br />
<br />Thank you SO MUCH for reading this far!

 

[guacamole]

Also, I wanted to ask....

I have a CF center very near to me. Can I ask for testing there, without a referral? I mean, just call the center and tell them I'd like my son tested?

 

[guacamole]

Also, I wanted to ask....

I have a CF center very near to me. Can I ask for testing there, without a referral? I mean, just call the center and tell them I'd like my son tested?

 

[guacamole]

Also, I wanted to ask....

I have a CF center very near to me. Can I ask for testing there, without a referral? I mean, just call the center and tell them I'd like my son tested?

 

[guacamole]

Also, I wanted to ask....

I have a CF center very near to me. Can I ask for testing there, without a referral? I mean, just call the center and tell them I'd like my son tested?

 

[guacamole]

Also, I wanted to ask....
<br />
<br />I have a CF center very near to me. Can I ask for testing there, without a referral? I mean, just call the center and tell them I'd like my son tested?

 

[Ratatosk]

Any clinic can test, if your doctor refuses to do a test -- ask him to put it in writing. Tell him you want to RULE OUT cf and if he refuses, I suggest you go elsewhere.

DS' primary symptoms were digestive at first, without digestive enzymes, his stools are bulky and loose, smelly...

 

[Ratatosk]

Any clinic can test, if your doctor refuses to do a test -- ask him to put it in writing. Tell him you want to RULE OUT cf and if he refuses, I suggest you go elsewhere.

DS' primary symptoms were digestive at first, without digestive enzymes, his stools are bulky and loose, smelly...

 

[Ratatosk]

Any clinic can test, if your doctor refuses to do a test -- ask him to put it in writing. Tell him you want to RULE OUT cf and if he refuses, I suggest you go elsewhere.

DS' primary symptoms were digestive at first, without digestive enzymes, his stools are bulky and loose, smelly...

 

[Ratatosk]

Any clinic can test, if your doctor refuses to do a test -- ask him to put it in writing. Tell him you want to RULE OUT cf and if he refuses, I suggest you go elsewhere.

DS' primary symptoms were digestive at first, without digestive enzymes, his stools are bulky and loose, smelly...

 

[Ratatosk]

Any clinic can test, if your doctor refuses to do a test -- ask him to put it in writing. Tell him you want to RULE OUT cf and if he refuses, I suggest you go elsewhere.
<br />
<br />DS' primary symptoms were digestive at first, without digestive enzymes, his stools are bulky and loose, smelly...

 

[sdelorenzo]

Yes, it does sound like your son needs a cf test to make sure that is not causing his problems. My nephew's drs acted the same way before he was diagnosed with cf at the age of four. Change drs if you have to, just make sure he gets tested. No one wants their child to have a disease like cf. But if the child does have cf, then the medications and treatments make their lives so much better!!!
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 7 and Jack, 5 both with cf, Grant, 1 month no cf.

 

[sdelorenzo]

Yes, it does sound like your son needs a cf test to make sure that is not causing his problems. My nephew's drs acted the same way before he was diagnosed with cf at the age of four. Change drs if you have to, just make sure he gets tested. No one wants their child to have a disease like cf. But if the child does have cf, then the medications and treatments make their lives so much better!!!
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 7 and Jack, 5 both with cf, Grant, 1 month no cf.

 

[sdelorenzo]

Yes, it does sound like your son needs a cf test to make sure that is not causing his problems. My nephew's drs acted the same way before he was diagnosed with cf at the age of four. Change drs if you have to, just make sure he gets tested. No one wants their child to have a disease like cf. But if the child does have cf, then the medications and treatments make their lives so much better!!!
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 7 and Jack, 5 both with cf, Grant, 1 month no cf.

 

[sdelorenzo]

Yes, it does sound like your son needs a cf test to make sure that is not causing his problems. My nephew's drs acted the same way before he was diagnosed with cf at the age of four. Change drs if you have to, just make sure he gets tested. No one wants their child to have a disease like cf. But if the child does have cf, then the medications and treatments make their lives so much better!!!
Sharon, mom of Sophia, 7 and Jack, 5 both with cf, Grant, 1 month no cf.

 

[sdelorenzo]

Yes, it does sound like your son needs a cf test to make sure that is not causing his problems. My nephew's drs acted the same way before he was diagnosed with cf at the age of four. Change drs if you have to, just make sure he gets tested. No one wants their child to have a disease like cf. But if the child does have cf, then the medications and treatments make their lives so much better!!!
<br />Sharon, mom of Sophia, 7 and Jack, 5 both with cf, Grant, 1 month no cf.