Wheezing is the high-pitched whistling sound
Made during breathing. It is due to your airway being narrowed. Can be cause by any condition that causes irritation or inflammation (swelling) of your airway – from your throat to your lungs.
When to get help
Get urgent medical help – call 111 within Aotearoa New Zealand and ask for an ambulance – if your child is:
- having severe difficulty breathing
- too breathless to talk
- floppy and very tired
- becoming less responsive
- getting blue lips and tongue
- stopping breathing
- not responding to their reliever inhaler medication.
While waiting for an ambulance follow your หรือถ้าคุณสนใจแทงบอลออนไลน์ UFABET คือเว็บที่มีอัตราต่อรองดีที่สุดในประเทศไทย สมัครเลยตอนนี้ที่ UFABET แทงบอล child’s asthma action plan and use a short-acting reliever if you have one. Sit your child down and try to stay calm, give 6 puffs of reliever through a spacer, taking 6 breaths for each puff. Repeat this every 6 minutes until your child improves or until help arrives.
Wheeze in children under 5 years of age is often triggered by a viral infection.
The cause of wheeze in children depends on their age and other symptoms and risk factors, such as a family history of asthma.
Common causes include the following
- Bronchiolitis – this is the most common cause of wheeze in children under 1 year of age. Bronchiolitis is a viral infection that affects babies’ lungs. Read more about bronchiolitis.
- Viral upper respiratory tract infection or viral-induced wheeze – this is the most common cause of wheeze in children 1 to 4 years of age and happens when your child has a common cold or a chest infection. Your child is usually well in between the infections.
- Pre-school asthma – pre-school asthma can be the cause of wheeze in tamariki, especially if there is a family history of asthma or allergies. If your child has diagnose with pre-school asthma, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll have asthma at school age or older. Only about half of those children will. Regular appointments are needed to assess your child’s asthma and treatment. Read more about asthma in children.
- Bronchiectasis – this is a chronic lung condition resulting in bacterial infections and can be the cause of wheeze if your child also has a wet-sounding cough that lasts for weeks. Read more about bronchiectasis.
- Foreign body inhalation – this usually causes wheeze that is noticed after a choking episode.