What Are the Causes of Wheezing in Infants?
Infant Wheezing is a challenge to diagnose, as it is can be caused by many factors. Causes of wheezing in infants can range from a respiratory infection, early development of asthma or the common cold.
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Common Cold
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The common cold can be the reason behind your infant's wheezing. Symptoms of an infant's cold may include wheezing. Be sure to see your doctor if you suspect your baby has caught a cold, as a common cold can quickly turn into something more serious like bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis
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Bronchiolitis is a fairly common infection that causes wheezing in infants. With bronchiolitis, the bronchial passages swell, making it difficult to breathe. Infants can be affected by this infection more often than older children because the infant's airway is smaller and therefore is less difficult to become blocked.
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Respiratory Infection
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A respiratory infection may also be the culprit for your infant's wheezing. When a baby gets a respiratory tract infection, her already small airways become swollen, leading to coughing and wheezing.
Asthma
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Asthma is a primary cause for infant wheezing, but it is difficult to detect because asthma can not be fully assessed until a lung function test can be performed. The lung function test includes a serious of deep breathing exercises, and is typically performed on children ages 6 and up. Asthma affects more than 6 million children.
Other Factors
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Some other factors may cause an infant to wheeze. Rarely, a small object (such as a food particle or foreign object) may have been inhaled into the lungs. Additionally, some premature babies with airways that have not developed properly may cause wheezing as well.
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