Dr. Stacey Lynn Martiniano M.D.

What is cystic fibrosis?It is a genetic disease that affects both young children and adults. It mainly affects the lungs and the digestive system. When a child inherits two copies of the genes responsible for cystic fibrosis, the child develops the disease.The complications associated with the...

Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening, inherited disorder, which affects the secretory glands producing mucus and sweat. Fluids secreted by the glands are usually thin. In this disease, the secretions become thick and sticky and block all passageways and ducts, particularly of the lungs and...

Croup is a common respiratory problem prevailing in young children that tends to develop in the fall or winter. It describes a deep and barking cough that is caused by an upper respiratory infection that blocks a child's ability to breathe. Its characteristic symptom is harsh coughing...

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...

What is pneumonia?Pneumonia is an acute lung infection that causes inflammation of the air sacs in either one or both lungs. The air sacs get filled with fluid or pus, making it difficult for the affected person to properly breathe. Individuals who have contracted the infection usually cough and...

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,...