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Infant wheeze: is asthma a possibility?

Philip K Pattemore1

  • 1Department of Paediatrics, University of Otago Christchurch, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|October 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Most infant wheeze cases are not asthma, but asthma can occur in infants. Identifying risk factors and symptoms helps diagnose infant asthma cautiously, especially for severe cases requiring treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Allergology

Background:

  • Infant wheeze is common, but often distinct from asthma.
  • Differentiating asthma from other causes of wheezing in infants is challenging.
  • Infants can exhibit reversible airway obstruction, a feature of asthma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the relationship between infant wheeze and asthma.
  • To identify factors aiding in the diagnosis of infant asthma.
  • To guide cautious treatment approaches for suspected infant asthma.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical features and risk factors associated with infant wheeze.
  • Analysis of diagnostic challenges in differentiating asthma from other causes.
  • Evaluation of criteria for provisional diagnosis and treatment trials.

Main Results:

  • The majority of infant wheeze cases are not attributed to asthma.
  • Allergic sensitization can be present in infants with reversible airway obstruction.
  • Asthma is a recognized condition in infancy, despite diagnostic complexities.

Conclusions:

  • Diagnosing asthma in infants requires careful consideration of various wheezing causes.
  • Risk factors and clinical presentation are key to a provisional asthma diagnosis.
  • A cautious trial of asthma treatment may be warranted for disabling symptoms.

Keywords:
asthmabronchiolitisbronchodilatorinfancyinfantwheeze

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