Hi , Delia,

As I know there is no clear answer to date even from Doctor, but mostly it is caused from the complications of pulmonary diseases, could be any of them. CT scan would clearly shows if there are enlarged brochies , then your doctor will tell you you have bronchiectasis. Mine is caused from NTM, I have no idea, then suddenly from CT which shows there it is. I am managing it from that time on, for,the rest of your life, a nasty disease, but manageable. Hope this will help.

Finding the cause of bronchiectasis is a little bit hard. I heard that no cause can be identified in 50% of the bromchiectasis patient.

There are some underlying conditions that can cause bronchiectasis.

A serious past infection such as pneumonia, whooping cough, measles or TB can cause bronchiectasis.

People with immune deficiency are vulnerable to infection. It can be primary immune deficiency or it can be secondary immune deficiency.

Mine is labeled idiopathic bronchiectasis because they just don't know. After my cough started, I had multiple tests and eventually a CT scan showed resolving pneumonia. I had choked on milk a little while before that, and I think that caused the pneumonia, which caused the bronchiectasis. My grandma has bronchiectasis as well, so one doctor told me there's probably a genetic link. I know I've participated in some studies that look at the genetics of it. I have a 5 month old son and I know I'm going to be hypervigilant about any cough he has, he already tries to mimic my cough sometimes.

I was taking Entex LA for 5 years on a daily basis then in Feb of 2000 it was taken off the market. By following September I was coughing with chronic post nasal drip and no antihistamines helped. Pneumonia in Jan of 2001, and when I did not get better an allergist ordered a CT scan of sinuses and they were totally impacted. Surgery snd 9 months of Cipro and prednisone and eventually a diagnosis of bronchiectasis with pseudomonas aeruginosa. Then treatments to help finally stabilized it. My theory is the Entex LA which is an antihistamine when suddenly stopped my body retained the sinus mucus until it dripped into lungs, both have pseudomonas. I also know as a child I always had trouble exhaling and turning air over but nothing to go to doctor about so maybe I always had a genetic pre-bronchiectasis condition just waiting for the bacteria and pneumonia to cause thickening of walls then the rest is history. I rotate TOBI on 2 weeks off 2 with daily neb. Saline. I stay stable 90% of the time. I also do lots of aerobic exercise.

My daughter was diagnosed at the age of 14 months. Since her birth she stayed sick with respiratory issues. All her doctors always blamed it on "Viral" infections. Her initial pulmonologist missed her chronic aspiration on her swallow study and failed to treat it. They also missed her laryngeal cleft(type 2) until I demanded a scope at 9 months old. At that point we sought out a second opinion for all her issues. Her new ENT surgically repaired her cleft and did DLB at 12 months and started her on thickened feeds as well as referred us to all new pulmonologist, GI, Immunologist, Geneticist......The day we met her new pulmonologist she ordered a CT scan and within an hour of the scan we received a call from her pulmonologist saying she had Bronchiectasis. Since then she has had 3 more scopes, 1 lavage, adenoids removed, and will be having a second surgical repair to her cleft next month. We are waiting on CFTR and Pulmonary genetic panel results right now, but it looks like we may not ever get an answer to why she has this. She was just downgraded from nectar thick to Honey thick and they increased her vital stim therapy to 3x a week for 60 min sessions, as well as feeding therapy and speech. She has had developmental delays in her speech due to all her issues. We have a very strict daily routine of oral meds, shake vest, CPT percussion, Pulmicort, Albuterol, Dornase, and now Hypertonic solution 4%. It makes her have a very limited activity level. Considering we are hooked to some sort of machine for at least 25 minutes every 3 to 4 hours everyday. It breaks my heart. I really wish there was more information and resources about our journey with non-cf cystic Bronchiectasis in a child her age.

Hello! I am sure that this is so heart wrenching, to say the very least. I just found a few sites listed below and will continue searching.

Pediatric Pulmonology [eBook]
https://shop.aap.org/Pediatric-Pulmonology-eBook

Pediatric Pulmonology [Paperback]
https://shop.aap.org/Pediatric-Pulmonology-Paperba...

Also, American Academy of Pediatrics, AAP.

I wish I had more to write at this time. I hope one of the sites assists you.

Hello. It must be really challenging to take care. I read that you do many treatments to your child and that's really a great thing. Every little thing that we do shows our efforts.

I would love to know about the information regarding to bronchiectasis in infant. I will ask some information to a online bronchiectasis forum that I joined. I hope they can give me insight about bronchiectasis in infant and how to manage.

Hello! I am trying to find more resources for you.

What state do you reside in?

Ok, I have enlisted another person to assist me in the search. Will get back to you as soon as possible. Kati

Still awaiting assistance from another. In the interim, I found this article, from New Zealand.

It is a review of bronchiectasis in children. https://www.starship.org.nz/for-health-professiona...

Will keep on searching. Katie

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/bronchiectasis-bx-in...

Below is a great article.:) Katie

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1004692-over...

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/sites/kidshealth/fil...

Below is a great article re: school and bronchiectasis.

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/bronchiectasis-bx-in...

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/bronchiectasis-bx

Working on finding more local information.

https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/bronchiectasis-bx

Working on finding more local resources. Katie

You are most welcome! I am continuing the search for more information in your local area. Katie

Hello! Thinking of you. I hope that you are making progress w the new information. Please keep us posted

Hello! I realize how frustrating it is attempting to find the right Doctor, the right treatment. You are being headed in the right direction and hopefully this trip will provide you with the answers you need.

At times like this, we must attempt to hold onto positive thought and faith that you will find more answers in the very near trip.

I wish you the very best. Please keep us posted.

Hi hon...I am not a Doctor, but after reading a lot about this I remembered at five or six years old I had whooping cough and definitely remember the coughing and vomiting. I was quaranteend for about three weeks and very unpleasant experience.

Thanks to Ksmiles123 for great research. I have access to University of Phoenix library/database (got my MSN online) and I will see what they have in the journals. Haven't even looked for myself. : |

My probable bronchiectasis journey: I had a severe case of whooping cough as a baby (probably caused the damage), multiple respiratory infections as a child, severe allergies (nasal), smoked for 8 years, on a ventilator for three days after surgery incident, developed adult asthma and a couple bouts of pneumonia. Not many problems except when the weather changes and maybe some allergies if I'm around massive amounts of pollen (such as when I visit my sister in East Texas).

My Bronchiectasis is believed by Lung Specialist to have started with Acid Reflux at night then aspiration pneumonia. Personally I don't really care as I have it and it is what it is. I've been treated since 2010 but have had symptoms for over 25 years, along with we guess about 8 bouts of pneumonia.

My disease has stopped progressing and is in fact improving if there is such a thing. I am no longer restricted at all, I do what I want when I want. This has been accomplished thru now bi-monthly treatments of inhaled Tobi for seven days. In addition I exercise every day, which is mainly walking for four miles with some use of bands.

I now seldom if every cough, except at the start of our daily walk which is about 1/8 of a mile up a 9 degree hill. I usually clear out by the top, and then cough a few more times during the remainder of the walk. I walk no matter the weather and we live in the north US.

I use an inhaler at times, and use Pulmocort inhaler while taking the Tobi or I would cough all day. I no longer use any pain medication as no matter what I take it seems to exacerbate the disease.

Work is all I can add, work at controlling this disease and good luck.

It was listed as a cause of death on my grandmother's death certificate and she died 80 yeas ago. Also believed my aunt had it. So, I have been told I inherited it.