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Child Has Cold, Bleeding Nose And Dizziness. Suspected For Asthma. Could It Be Due To Wood Dust?
Question: Our ten year old grandson has been working in a small shed with no ventilation, using an electric wood sander, he has had a cough for four weeks and I am very concerned that the doctor my daughter took him to, did not take seriously the wood dust caused by the sander we bought him for Christmas and which he uses frequently. Working with wood is our grandson's hobby and we thought we were helping him by our encouragement. We even bought him a heater to keep him warm! Now I'm dreadfully afraid we may have started a chain reaction that will have harmed his health for good. You don't have to tell me off, I am fully aware how stupid and ignorant we have been and how very thoughtless - I cannot believe how great our stupidity has been, to be honest. The doctor he saw yesterday listened to his chest and said there was nothing wrong, he has given him a peak flow metre and asked him to record readings four times a day and go back next week. The doctor suspects asthma but I know that could be caused by dust too can't it? He also has nose bleeds and feels dizzy sometimes - what have we done to a child who means more than life itself to us?
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic,
I understand your concern on your grandson and regarding his health.
The wood dust caused by the electric wood sander may cause cough because of its inhalation into airways and lungs or may aggravate the cough in patients with underlying asthma by precipitating the narrowing of the airways.
Has your grandson experienced similar cough episodes in the past?
Was there any history of wheezing or breathlessness episodes requiring nebulization or inhaler?
Is there any history of atopy or allergic rhinitis in the child?
Is there any family history of asthma?
The information is important to give you the relevant advise.
As the doctor examined the child, the chest is normal, don't worry and follow the doctor advise by recording the readings of peak flow metre.
As such the wood dust wont cause asthma, but it may precipitate the narrowing of airways in persons having asthma.
Nose bleeding may be due to bleeding from weaker portions of the nose like Littles area, but if it is recurrent discuss with the doctor when you go to him in the next week.
Please don't blame yourself and your grandson will be in good health soon.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Thank you for your query on Healthcare Magic,
I understand your concern on your grandson and regarding his health.
The wood dust caused by the electric wood sander may cause cough because of its inhalation into airways and lungs or may aggravate the cough in patients with underlying asthma by precipitating the narrowing of the airways.
Has your grandson experienced similar cough episodes in the past?
Was there any history of wheezing or breathlessness episodes requiring nebulization or inhaler?
Is there any history of atopy or allergic rhinitis in the child?
Is there any family history of asthma?
The information is important to give you the relevant advise.
As the doctor examined the child, the chest is normal, don't worry and follow the doctor advise by recording the readings of peak flow metre.
As such the wood dust wont cause asthma, but it may precipitate the narrowing of airways in persons having asthma.
Nose bleeding may be due to bleeding from weaker portions of the nose like Littles area, but if it is recurrent discuss with the doctor when you go to him in the next week.
Please don't blame yourself and your grandson will be in good health soon.
Hope I have answered your query, if you have any clarification please let me know.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your reassurance and kindness, it is much appreciated, believe me.
Hi XXXXXXX,
You are welcome,
Thank you for your feedback and appreciation.
Wish you and your grandson good health.
I am alsways available to answer your concerns.
Regards.
You are welcome,
Thank you for your feedback and appreciation.
Wish you and your grandson good health.
I am alsways available to answer your concerns.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Dr. Venkata XXXXXXX
I've just realised that I did not answer your questions and I apologise for that.
The only asthma in our family has been in my sister's two children years ago, they are adults now and 'normal'.
I don't know what 'atophy' is.
No allergic rhinitis.
Very few coughs in his ten years and they have not lasted more than a week, therefore has not had to use either an inhaler or a nebulizer.
He is very healthy usually, plays lots of sport and is physically very fit.
He is certainly not overweight at all.
This cough is very unusual and persistant and is at its worst at night. It started about a week after he began using his woodwork tools in the small shed on the 15th December but I didn't put the cough and the dust 'together' until a few days ago. Then, as you can tell, I panicked.
I just hope you are correct and he will get better - with no lasting effects and with no long term effects. We hope we haven't caused him to have some sort of damage to his lungs that will show itself in 20 or 40 years time. An examination now, will not be able to tell us that will it? I don't know how 'sticky' lungs are and whether the very small particals of dust can be coughed out - and he is very young to have been working in such an environment.
Thank you for your kind help and reassurance as I said before.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
I've just realised that I did not answer your questions and I apologise for that.
The only asthma in our family has been in my sister's two children years ago, they are adults now and 'normal'.
I don't know what 'atophy' is.
No allergic rhinitis.
Very few coughs in his ten years and they have not lasted more than a week, therefore has not had to use either an inhaler or a nebulizer.
He is very healthy usually, plays lots of sport and is physically very fit.
He is certainly not overweight at all.
This cough is very unusual and persistant and is at its worst at night. It started about a week after he began using his woodwork tools in the small shed on the 15th December but I didn't put the cough and the dust 'together' until a few days ago. Then, as you can tell, I panicked.
I just hope you are correct and he will get better - with no lasting effects and with no long term effects. We hope we haven't caused him to have some sort of damage to his lungs that will show itself in 20 or 40 years time. An examination now, will not be able to tell us that will it? I don't know how 'sticky' lungs are and whether the very small particals of dust can be coughed out - and he is very young to have been working in such an environment.
Thank you for your kind help and reassurance as I said before.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
Hi XXXXXXX,
Thank you for getting back,
I have asked for family history of asthma to know any familial predisposition to asthma.
Atopy is an prone condition to get recurrent allergic problems like atopic dermatitis, food allergies and skin allergies as they are common in some asthmatics.
Happy to hear that he did not have any similar frequent episodes of cough in the past and no history of use of inhalers.
Don't be panic, be in regular touch with the doctor till the cough completely subsides.
As such the dust doesn't cause asthma, but it will aggravate the asthmatic attack. In normal children without asthma, the effects of the dust may be temporary and treatable and there will be no long term lung problems.
The small particles of the dust that entered into the airways and lungs will be coughed out or cleared by the lung defensing mechanisms.
Hope I have answered your query and wish your grandson speedy recovery and good health.
Regards.
Thank you for getting back,
I have asked for family history of asthma to know any familial predisposition to asthma.
Atopy is an prone condition to get recurrent allergic problems like atopic dermatitis, food allergies and skin allergies as they are common in some asthmatics.
Happy to hear that he did not have any similar frequent episodes of cough in the past and no history of use of inhalers.
Don't be panic, be in regular touch with the doctor till the cough completely subsides.
As such the dust doesn't cause asthma, but it will aggravate the asthmatic attack. In normal children without asthma, the effects of the dust may be temporary and treatable and there will be no long term lung problems.
The small particles of the dust that entered into the airways and lungs will be coughed out or cleared by the lung defensing mechanisms.
Hope I have answered your query and wish your grandson speedy recovery and good health.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Dr. Venkata XXXXXXX
Thank you again for your reassurance - however, because I am made the way I am, I have to ask one more question. You say at the end of your letter 'In normal children without asthma, the effects of the dust may be temporary and treatable .. .. ..' By using the word 'MAY' are you saying as kindly as possible that it also may not be?
I won't bother you again after this because I know you are helping me as much as possible and trying to stop me worrying and I appreciate that.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
Thank you again for your reassurance - however, because I am made the way I am, I have to ask one more question. You say at the end of your letter 'In normal children without asthma, the effects of the dust may be temporary and treatable .. .. ..' By using the word 'MAY' are you saying as kindly as possible that it also may not be?
I won't bother you again after this because I know you are helping me as much as possible and trying to stop me worrying and I appreciate that.
Sincerely,
XXXXXXX
Hi XXXXXXX ,
Thank you for your query,
In that context I mean the effects of dust may be temporary and treatable, and some times the dust may not be the culprit for his symptoms.
As I said the dust will not produce or cause any long term lung problems, but it may be the cause of a simple allergic cough or an aggravation of the cough in people with having asthma.
It is my pleasure to answer your concerns and my duty to address your queries.
Hope I made an attempt to clear your query and wish your grandson a fast recovery.
Thank you very much,
Regards.
Thank you for your query,
In that context I mean the effects of dust may be temporary and treatable, and some times the dust may not be the culprit for his symptoms.
As I said the dust will not produce or cause any long term lung problems, but it may be the cause of a simple allergic cough or an aggravation of the cough in people with having asthma.
It is my pleasure to answer your concerns and my duty to address your queries.
Hope I made an attempt to clear your query and wish your grandson a fast recovery.
Thank you very much,
Regards.
Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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