children s health issues
Wheezing in Infants and Young Children
Introduction
Wheezing is a relatively high-pitched whistling sound that occurs during breathing when the airways are partially blocked or narrowed. Wheezing is caused by a narrowing of the airways. Other symptoms depend on the cause and may include cough, fever, and runny nose. The diagnosis of the cause is based on chest x-rays and sometimes other tests. Treatment can include bronchodilators and corticosteroids. (See also Wheezing in adults.) Wheezing is caused by a narrowing or blockage (obstruction) of the airways. The narrowing can be caused by one or more of the following: Swelling of the tissues in the airways Spasm of the tiny muscles in the walls of the airways (bronchospasm) Accumulation of mucus in the airways Recurring episodes of wheezing are common in the first few years of life. Until recently, doctors diagnosed these episodes as Asthma in Children because, like asthma, episodes could be relieved by inhaling drugs that open the airways (bronchodilators) and because most adults who have asthma first developed symptoms in childhood. Now, however, doctors know that only Not all wheezing is caused by asthma. Children who are more likely to be eventually diagnosed with asthma include children who have one or more of the following risk factors: Certain rashes (such as Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) ) More severe wheezing episodes Family members with asthma A family tendency to have many allergies Wheezing with viral illnesses (particularly those caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection and Human Metapneumovirus Infection and human However, in most children, wheezing episodes stop by 6 to 10 years of age, and doctors do not diagnose these children as having asthma. Such children have other causes for their recurring episodes of wheezing. 