[SCOTIE]

what is the difference between bronchitis and a chest infection. my son has had several chest infections leading on to pnemonia but he now has bronchitis

[araitn]

I'm no doctor, but it's my understanding that both bronchitis and pneumonia are chest infections. Bronchitis is an infection of the large airways and pneumonia is an infection of the smaller air sacs in the lungs. I would think that pneumonia would be more serious than bronchitis, but I don't really know?

[Bagpuss-wheels]

SCOTIE, on Apr 10 2009, 10:25 PM, said:

what is the difference between bronchitis and a chest infection. my son has had several chest infections leading on to pnemonia but he now has bronchitis

Hi, as araitn said, they are both basically different types of respiratory infections.

Just a question, has your son had the pneumonia vaccine?? Whilst it cannot completely stop someone getting pneumonia, it can reduce the severity (and I was also told before I was given it that it can even reduce the severity of things like septicaemia).

In theory, you should only need to be vaccinated once, unless, within ten years, you get pneumonia.

For a simple injection, the benefits out weigh the possible risks (unless there are specific reasons why the injection cannot be given).

As someone with 'brittle asthma'/'severe chronic asthma', it was something which was worth getting. Interestingly, for me, I've not had as severe chest infections since having the vaccination - whilst this may be anecdotal and a coincidence, it may have something to do with the types of respiratory infections I used to keep getting possible being the same/similar to those vaccinated against? Dunno but it's food for thought!

Hope he recovers from the bronchitis soon!

Best wishes,
Cat
>^,,^<