Laryngotracheobronchomalacia

It was much easier back then when you were still in my belly!!!

"Soft Airways"
Joseph was born with airways that are too soft, they do not hold there shape and air does not flow through as well as it should. He may have softening in one, two, or three parts of his airway. The softening is called malacia. The doctor also called this "floppy" airways.
Signs and symptoms- We almost constantly hear a high pitched noise when he breathes in, this is called stridor. He also has chest retractions when he is upset, eating, or just starts breathing heavy. The retractions are the scariest part for me. The lung doctor said the noise we hear could go on until he is 18 months or older. But hopefully it will go away once he gets to be around 12 months.
Treatment-We are going to an ENT on Monday to have a scope done in the office. Then we will schedule another scope that will be more invasive. He will be put out for the second one. Once we see how severe it is, the doctor will decide if he needs surgery to correct this or if he will just have to grow out of it. Until then we are dealing with the side effects of him not being able to get his breath -VERY scary. The doctor said him sleeping on his stomach should help with the noise, and to try and keep him calm at all times-easier said than done.
Hospital trips- We have been to urgent care centers/ER's and the hospital 8 times, he was admitted twice. Everytime all the doctors were treating his lungs. This is not a lung problem. So out of the 4 meds he has been on, he now only needs the one for reflux! No more breathing treatments thank goodness!
Please continue to pray, there have been days when I think I just can't go on living like this. It is so scary to see your child not being able to breath and you can't do anything about it. I couldn't do this without the help from Joey, his mom, and my mom. We have had MANY sleepless nights.