Dr. Michael P Pryor M.D.

What is a barking cough?The medical term for a barking cough is croup, which is a viral condition that causes swelling of the upper airways of children, especially those who are younger than 5 years old. It is also described as the inflammation of the larynx and the trachea in children.There are a...

IntroductionTay-Sachs disease is a genetic disorder that affects the brain's nerve cells. Individuals who have this disorder lacks a type of protein that is needed to break down fatty substances in the brain. Without this protein, fatty substances accumulate in the brain to toxic levels, which...

A new study has shown that infants who are 3-months-old and have vitamin D levels lower than 25 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) are two times more likely to have respiratory infections, when compared to children who have levels above 75 nmol/L. In this study, published in the journal Pediatrics,...

What is RSV?RSV or respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that usually affects the respiratory tract. It can cause colds in adults and older children, but may cause serious lung infections, such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis in babies and immunocompromised individuals. CausesRSV is only...

Lung cancer is the unsuppressed growth of cells in the tissues of the lungs. Such a condition leads to a tumor (malignant) which may spread (by metastasis) to different organs of the body if not treated in time. Cancer of the lung at the primary stage is also known as carcinoma. The two types of...

Croup is a childhood illness that can cause distress to children, especially at night. It is characterized by stridor and a barking cough. This viral condition results in laryngeal and tracheal swelling.Although most cases of croup are successfully managed at home, there are still cases where...