Can nasal polyps in a baby indicate cystic fibrosis?

Question

Hi doctor,

My baby was born prematurely (at 24 weeks) and spent a long time in the hospital. She has been at home for a few months now, and aside from BPD, she is good and growing well. She has, however, had a nasal polyp for several months. We had already discovered this nasal polyp when she was 2 or 3 months old. However, the doctors made no recommendations at the time. In order to determine what the next steps should be, I decided to consult with an ENT specialist.

My concern is that I read on the internet that nasal polyps in babies are usually a sign of cystic fibrosis. We did genetic testing for my baby at the hospital a few months ago, but we are still waiting for the results. Aside from the nasal polyp, she does not have any other symptoms of CF that I am aware of. For example, her bowel movements are normal. In addition, she does not have a running nose, wheezing, or excessive coughing.

Do you think the nasal polyp is related to the fact that she was intubated through the nose for several months? Perhaps she was irritated as a result of the intubation? She was intubated for seven weeks, so could that be the cause? What are your opinions?

Kindly suggest.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Firstly, I would like to clarify that nasal polyps are extremely rare at the age of 8 months and are almost not seen in newborns. However, polyps appear in children with cystic fibrosis after four to five years. So whatever polyp-like structure the doctor saw needs to be evaluated further.

It could be inferior turbinate hypertrophy, a deviated septum, or, in rare cases, meningocele (a birth defect in which a developing baby's spinal cord fails to develop properly). Apart from ruling out meningocele, which requires immediate treatment, not much should be done since the baby is asymptomatic.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at icliniq.

Thank you.