Bronchiectasis is a lung condition where your child's bronchi become too wide and build up mucus in them. Your child's bronchi are medium-sized airways (tubes) that carry air in and out of his lungs. Your child's lungs make mucus to trap and remove germs and irritants that he breathes in. The mucus made in his lungs is also called phlegm. Your child's airways are lined with ciliated cells that help move the mucus out of his lungs. The cilia are fine, hair-like structures on the cells that move back and forth. These ciliated cells sweep the mucus upward in your child's airways to move it out of his lungs.
With bronchiectasis, your child's airways are damaged and he will have trouble clearing the mucus out. The mucus stays in his airways and germs may grow in it, causing new and repeated lung infections. Over time, this may cause your child's airways to swell, stretch out, and scar. His airways may become so damaged it may get harder for him to move air through them. This damage may happen in one area of his lungs or in many areas of his lungs. There is no cure for bronchiectasis, treatment is aimed at preventing more damage from infections. Treatment may help to prevent your child's symptoms from getting worse.
That was a great explanation. It put it in English for those of us who may not know the in's and out's of how lungs work. How is Jonah today?
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