Reactive airway disease (RAD) occurs when the bronchial tubes overreact to irritants, causing wheezing and coughing. Symptoms are similar to those of asthma.
RAD is not a clinical term, and its use is somewhat controversial among medical professionals. This is because it doesn’t have a clear definition and may be used to describe different conditions.
Read on to learn more about RAD, including symptoms, causes, related conditions, and more.
RAD is similar to asthma. Some medical professionals use the term as a placeholder until they can make a diagnosis of asthma.
RAD is more often a term doctors use for suspected asthma young children, as it can be difficult to use the usual diagnostic methods for asthma in children who are younger than 5 years. Therefore, doctors may refer to RAD until that time.
It’s important to have something in a child’s medical records showing possible asthma or breathing problems. However, doctors don’t want to label it as asthma until they can confirm the diagnosis.
Doctors may also use RAD when discussing other airway diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Whether this term should be used interchangeably with asthma or COPD is debated among some medical professionals.
Vs. reactive airways dysfunction syndrome
RAD is not the same as reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS). Even though the symptoms are similar, the causes are different.
RADS is caused by excessive exposure to an irritant, such as gas, dust, or smoke.
The symptoms of RAD are similar to those of asthma. These symptoms may include:
- wheezing
- coughing
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- excess mucus in the bronchial tube
- swollen mucous membrane in the bronchial tube
- hypersensitive bronchial tubes
Causes of RAD are similar to those of asthma. Both are generally caused by some irritant that triggers the airways to overreact and swell or narrow.
Some causes or irritants may include:
- pet hair or dander
- pollen
- mold
- stress
- exercise
- changes in weather
According to the Boys Town National Research Hospital, some risk factors for RAD include:
- receiving hospital treatment for bronchiolitis
- has a lung infection due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or another virus
- exposure to secondhand smoke or smoking during pregnancy
- spending time around triggers
- has a parent with asthma
As RAD is not a clinical term, there’s no specific diagnosis. However, doctors may refer to RAD if they notice symptoms of asthma in a child who is too young for asthma testing. This is usually in a child under the age of 5 years.
In some cases, doctors may provide children under 5 with preventive medication to see whether their symptoms improve. While this alone is not enough to diagnose asthma, it can help with determining whether the child might need tests for asthma in the future.
For children over the age of 5, doctors may recommend spirometry and other breathing tests.
The right treatment for RAD depends on the triggers and how severe the reactions are. In some cases, avoiding triggers may be enough to manage symptoms.
Doctors may also recommend medications, such as bronchodilators and steroids.
If a doctor refers to RAD to describe a child’s symptoms, they may later diagnose asthma. They can then create a suitable asthma treatment plan.
Any time you have difficulty breathing and don’t know why, you should contact a medical professional immediately.
Contact a doctor if there are known breathing problems that worsen or do not respond to an existing treatment plan.
If a child has known breathing problems but is generally too young for an asthma diagnosis, their doctor can let you know about monitoring their symptoms and testing for asthma in the future.
If you need surgery, let your medical team know about your breathing trouble. Your anesthesiologist will need to make accommodations and take precautions if you are known to have any type of bronchial spasms.
Reactive airway disease (RAD) refers to wheezing, coughing, and other symptoms that happen when irritants affect the bronchial tubes. The symptoms are similar to those of asthma.
Doctors may use RAD to refer to a child’s symptoms if they are too young for an asthma diagnosis. However, RAD is not a clinical term, and the child will usually require a formal diagnosis when they are older if their symptoms do not resolve.
Contact a doctor if there are concerns about a child’s breathing. Seek immediate medical help if sudden breathing problems occur.