The child has wheezing breathing

Generally speaking, children's breathing is silent, but if there is wheezing when breathing, it is definitely not normal. Especially if this happens suddenly, you should pay special attention to it. It may also be accompanied by symptoms of hemoptysis. In this case, you should take your baby for a respiratory examination, so that you can see the condition more intuitively and take appropriate treatment methods to improve the condition based on the specific cause of the child.

Causes and common diseases

1. Airway trauma

Local trauma to the upper respiratory tract usually causes acute obstruction with sudden onset of stridor, accompanied by signs such as dysphonia, dysphagia, hemoptysis, cyanosis, accessory muscle application, intercostal retraction, flared nasal ala, tachypnea, progressive dyspnea, and shallow breathing.

2. Allergic reaction

In severe allergic reactions, airway edema and laryngospasm may cause stridor and symptoms and signs of respiratory distress: nasal flaring, stridor, applanation muscles, intercostal retractions, and dyspnea. It may further develop into nasal congestion and copious watery nasal discharge. Common associated findings include tightness in the chest and throat, difficulty swallowing, and possible signs of shock such as hypotension, tachycardia, and cool, clammy skin.

3. Anthrax inhalation

Initial signs and symptoms are flu-like and include fever, chills, weakness, cough, and chest pain. The disease usually has two stages, with initial symptoms followed by a recovery period. The second stage develops suddenly and deteriorates rapidly, marked by wheezing, fever, dyspnea, and hypotension, often leading to death within 24 hours.

4. Foreign body inhalation

The sudden onset of stridor is characteristic of this life-threatening emergency. Associated findings include sudden onset of paroxysmal dry cough (gagging or choking), hoarseness, tachycardia, stridor, dyspnea, tachypnea, intercostal retractions, weak breath sounds, cyanosis, and shallow respirations. The patient presents with anxiety and distress.

5. Epiglottitis

In this inflammatory state, the swollen epiglottis can obstruct the upper airway, causing wheezing, which may be accompanied by fever, sore throat, and a croupy cough.

6. Hypocalcemia

In this disease, laryngeal spasm can cause stridor. Other examination findings include paresthesias, carpal tunnel, and positive Chvostek and Trousseau signs.

7. Inhalation injury

48 hours after inhaling smoke or toxic fumes, patients may experience laryngeal edema and bronchospasm, resulting in wheezing. Associated symptoms and signs include nasal or facial burning, cough, hoarseness, smoky-gray sputum, moist rales, rhonchi, stridor, and other symptoms and signs of respiratory distress, such as dyspnea, accessory muscle application, intercostal retraction, and flared nasal ala.

8. Laryngitis (acute)

The disease can cause severe laryngeal edema, leading to wheezing and difficulty breathing. The main sign is mild to severe hoarseness, which may be accompanied by temporary aphonia. Other findings include sore throat, dry cough, malaise, and fever.

9. Mediastinal tumors

This disease is usually asymptomatic in the early stages, but wheezing occurs in the later stages when the tumor compresses the trachea or bronchi.

10. Substernal thyroid gland

Anatomical abnormalities may cause stridor, dysphagia, cough, hoarseness, and tracheal displacement. Signs of hyperthyroidism may also appear.