Dr. Jose A Birriel M.D.

What is a barking cough?The medical term for a barking cough is croup, which is a viral condition that causes swelling of the upper airways of children, especially those who are younger than 5 years old. It is also described as the inflammation of the larynx and the trachea in children.There are a...

Croup is a common viral infection among children. It causes inflammation and swelling of the trachea (windpipe) and larynx (throat). As a result, a barking cough and noisy breathing often occur. Children under five years old are the most susceptible to the condition.Children who contract croup...

Bronchopulmonary DysplasiaPremature infants who have problems in their respiratory system have an increased risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is also called chronic lung disease. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) can be a serious condition, which needs intensive treatment. This...

Croup is a common viral illness that affects children, and is characterized by symptoms that include a runny nose and an extreme cough. This viral infection affects the voice box and the wind pipe and may lead to obstruction in breathing. The vocal cords are swollen and as air is forced through this...

A cough is described as a sudden explosive exhalation of air. It is basically a body's defense mechanism to protect and clear the airways from inhaled foreign materials. People may also voluntarily or spontaneously cough. Coughs often vary and may be characterized by productive (chesty or wet) or...

A new study has shown that infants who are 3-months-old and have vitamin D levels lower than 25 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) are two times more likely to have respiratory infections, when compared to children who have levels above 75 nmol/L. In this study, published in the journal Pediatrics,...