What Are the Causes of Infant Wheezing?
Wheezing is a high-pitched, whistling noise, usually made when exhaling. It is often associated with asthma, but if your infant is wheezing there are a number of things that could be causing it. Hearing your baby wheeze can be scary, but it's actually not that uncommon. Here are a few of the reasons your infant may be wheezing.
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Acid Reflux
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Acid reflux is the flow of food and liquids from the stomach back up into the esophagus. It is common in newborns and infants because the muscle between the stomach and esophagus is not tight. It usually causes spitting up and extreme fussiness after feedings. However, severe cases of acid reflux may cause respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing. If your infant is struggling this much with reflux, your doctor will want to treat it aggressively.
Bronchiolitis and RSV
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Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a viral infection that causes bronchiolitis, a condition where the airways swell, making it hard to breathe. It is usually more serious in infants because their airways are smaller and become blocked more easily that an adults. Symptoms of RSV are coughing, wheezing, rapid breathing and fever. Contact your doctor if you suspect your infant has RSV.
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Reactive Airways Disease
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Reactive airway disease is a a term for infants younger than 1 year old who may have asthma. Basically, it means that their airways are reacting to an infection by getting swollen and causing respiratory troubles, such as wheezing. However, doctors usually don't diagnose asthma until a child is a little older and has more than one episode. If your doctor says that your child has reactive airway disease, an asthma diagnose may follow at a later date.
Croup
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Croup is a viral infection that affects the voice box and windpipe. It is most common in children 6 months to 3 years old and usually occurs during winter. Croup starts with cold symptoms that can turn into a cough that sounds like a seal barking. If the airway gets really swollen, you may hear wheezing. If your child has croup and begins wheezing, you should call your doctor right away.
Less Common Causes
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Other less common causes for wheezing in infants are also possible. Cystic fibrosis can cause wheezing, but it usually accompanied by other symptoms like failure to gain weight. Wheezing can also be caused if something like food is inhaled into the lungs. This is more common in older babies and toddlers. Obstructive sleep apnea can also cause wheezing in infants.
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