Respiratory Impairments.

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, pneumococcal pneumonia, croup, cystic fibrosis, tonsillitis, and the common cold. Medical, behavioral, and educational consequences are outlined. Medical and psychoeducational preventative measures and treatment options are also provided for the disorders. OVERVIEWRespiratory disorders minimally include asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, croup, cystic fibrosis, tonsillitis, and common colds. Agrawal, David, and Harris (2003) noted that approximately 50% of symptomatic infants could be classified in accordance with textbook criteria for the diagnoses of varied respiratory disorders. Among the major disease groups, chronic respiratory impairments rank fifth in prevalence (Ward, Javitz, Smith, 6k Whan, 2002). Although heritability estimates are associated with most chronic respiratory impairments, lung development is also particularly susceptible to numerous insults during pregnancy and the first few years of life. Therefore, environmental insults are likely to exacerbate genetic predisposition for res-237