Differential Diagnosis of Hemoptysis in Children

Common

• Foreign-body aspiration
• Infection: Cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis
• Upper airway bleeding
• Hematemesis

Less common

• Trauma: Accidental, tracheostomy, nonaccidental
• Cardiac: Congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary embolism

Rare

• Mass: Adenoma, carcinoid, arteriovenous fistula
• Primary bleeding disorder

Very rare

• Pulmonary-renal syndromes: Goodpasture syndrome, systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis, Henoch-Schonlein purpura
• Idiopathic pulmonary hemosiderosis

References

Godfrey S. Pulmonary hemorrhage/hemoptysis in children. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2004 Jun;37(6):476-84.