Dyspnea Facts for Kids

Dyspnea or dyspnoea (said disp-nee-ah) is shortness of breath. Some research says that about 27% of people suffer it.

Causes

There are many different causes of dyspnea. Some include:

Obstructive lung diseases
- Asthma
- Bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Cystic fibrosis
- Emphysema
- Laryngeal edema due to allergies
- Hookworm disease
Diseases of lung parenchyma and pleura
- Contagious
  - Anthrax through inhalation of Bacillus anthracis
  - Pneumonia
- Non-contagious
  - Fibrosing alveolitis
  - Atelectasis
  - Hypersensitivity pneumonitis
  - Interstitial lung disease
  - Lung cancer
  - Pleural effusion
  - Pneumoconiosis
  - Pneumothorax
  - Non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema or acute respiratory distress syndrome
  - Sarcoidosis
Pulmonary vascular diseases
- Acute or recurrent pulmonary emboli
- Pulmonary hypertension, primary or secondary
- Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease
- Superior vena cava syndrome

Obstruction of the airway
- Cancer of the larynx or pharynx
- Empty nose syndrome
- Pulmonary aspiration
- Epiglottitis
- Vocal cord dysfunction
Immobilization of the diaphragm
- Lesion of the phrenic nerve
- Polycystic liver disease
- Tumor in the diaphragm
Restriction of the chest volume
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Broken ribs
- Kyphosis of the spine
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Pectus excavatum
- Scoliosis
Disorders of the cardiovascular system
- Aortic dissection
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart disease
- CREST syndrome
- Heart failure
- Ischaemic heart disease
- Malignant hypertension
- Pericardium disorders, including:
  - Cardiac tamponade
  - Constrictive pericarditis
  - Pericardial effusion
- Pulmonary edema
- Pulmonary embolism
- Valvular heart disease
Disorders of the blood and metabolism
- Anemia
- Hypothyroidism
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Metabolic acidosis
- Sepsis
- Leukemia
Disorders affecting breathing nerves and muscles
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Guillain-Barré syndrome
- Multiple sclerosis
- Myasthenia gravis
- Parsonage Turner syndrome
- Eaton-Lambert syndrome
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
Psychological conditions
- Anxiety disorders and panic attacks
Medications
- Fentanyl
Other
- Carbon monoxide poisoning