Paediatrics
Your Doctor
Dear Doctor,
My 19-month-old son has had several episodes of wheezing and coughing over the last few days. I have consulted with a doctor. Now my baby is getting antibiotic according to doctor's prescription . I heard that it is a sign of asthma. Does this mean he has asthma? Please clarify me.
Regards
Mrs Faria Rahul
Buet Teacher's Quarter, Dhaka.
Answer:
Wheezing - a high-pitched, whistling kind of noise that comes from the airways, typically the lower airways is a classic sign of asthma. However, not every child who wheezes will develop asthma, and not every child with asthma wheezes.Wheezing commonly occurs in infants and young children with certain viral infections. This is because their airways are so small that any airway infection can cause breathing difficulties. In older children and adults, special breathing tests (lung function tests) can be used to make a diagnosis. But these tests are less practical in case of your son since he is very young. Usually we do not label asthma in case of children aged under 2 years. We rather call these children Wheezy child. Moreover, you did not mention whether there is a family history of asthma. This is very important to diagnose the likelihood of asthma in children. Treatment in your child's case needs further evaluation I think. You should consult with a paediatrician.
|
Dr Jahangir Alam
Child Specialist
Dhaka Shishu Hospital
Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka |
