pediatrics
Wheezing and Asthma in Infants and Young Children
Etiology
In some young children, recurrent wheezing episodes are the initial manifestations of asthma, and these children will continue to wheeze later in childhood or adolescence. In other children, wheezing episodes stop by age 6 to 10 years and are not thought to represent asthma. In infants and young children, wheezing with viral illnesses, particularly those caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and Human Metapneumovirus Infections and human Wheezing usually results from bronchospasm that may be worsened by inflammation of the small and medium airways that causes edema and further airway narrowing. An acute wheezing episode in infants and young children is usually caused by respiratory viral infections, but airway inflammation may also be caused (or worsened) by allergies or inhaled irritants (eg, tobacco smoke). Recurrent wheezing may be caused by frequent viral respiratory infections, allergies, or asthma. Less common causes of recurrent wheezing include chronic dysphagia that causes recurrent aspiration, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) , airway malacia, a retained aspirated foreign body, or 1.Jartti T, Gern JE: Role of viral infections in the development and exacerbation of asthma in children.J Allergy Clin Immunol140(4):895–906, 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.08.003 2.Mikhail I, Grayson MH: Asthma and viral infections: An intricate relationship.Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol123(4):352–358, 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.anai.2019.06.020 