Kinderen die bloed ophoesten

Background

Haemoptysis, coughing up blood from the respiratory tract distal to the vocal cords, is a rare symptom in children, and the cause is difficult to determine. The symptom can cause anxiety for the child, parents and treating physician.

description

We describe two cases of adolescents who presented at the Accident and Emergency Unit with acute onset dyspnoea and haemoptysis. In patient A, the haemoptysis was caused by tuberculosis, a known but rare cause of haemoptysis in the Netherlands. Patient B was found to have pseudohaemoptysis, which always has to be differentiated from haemoptysis.

Conclusion

Although haemoptysis in children is usually mild and self-limiting, knowledge about the possible underlying causes and necessary diagnostic workup is essential in order to reach the right diagnosis promptly and start appropriate treatment in case of life threatening haemoptysis.

Conflict of interest and financial support: none declared.