Dr. Lynn Cates
Specializing in pediatric infectious diseases and childhood immunizations.
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 Ask Dr. Cates
Wheezing Cough | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Cates,
My eight-year-old child's cough has a wheezing sound associated with it. What can I do to help him?— Helpless Mom in Brooklyn, New york | | | ANSWER |
May 14, 2001 | | | Dear Helpless Mom,
Children can make all sorts of noises, including wheezing, when they have coughs. The treatment depends on what is causing it. While it is not uncommon for healthy children to wheeze a little with some colds, you probably also already know that children who have asthma often wheeze when they are having an asthma attack. Clearly this kind of wheezing needs prompt treatment with asthma medications.
Wheezing can be a prominent feature of some childhood viral respiratory infections (particularly in infants with bronchiolitis). Although this kind of wheezing usually goes away without treatment, it should always be evaluated by an experienced healthcare provider to make sure that no specific medication is needed. One of the other possible causes of wheezing is aspiration of a foreign body (like a peanut) into the breathing tubes. This kind of wheezing won't go away until the foreign body is removed.
Any child with wheezing needs to be evaluated promptly unless he is already known to have asthma and you know how to handle it. If your child has never wheezed before, you should seek advice from his provider now. If you think he is having trouble breathing--whether or not he is wheezing--you should call for help immediately.— by Lynn Cates, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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