Wheezing in Babies and Kids – What as a Parent You Should Know

Is your little one wheezing?

Does it happen that every 3^rd fortnight you rush to the doctor and he prescribes inhalant nebulizers?

In today’s post we discuss the reasons for wheezing in babies and the precautions you should be taking if you have a child with breathing issues.

What is wheezing?

Wheezing is a whistling sound that can be heard as your child breathes caused due to narrowing of airway. Due to certain triggers or diseases, the airway gets swollen making the passage confined to breathe properly.

Wheezing can start with runny nose, mild fever, productive/unproductive coughing and worsen in later days.

Wheezing at nighttime generally peaks. Do not panic, presence of mind will help you through and your kid to recover soon.

Causes of wheezing in babies and kids:

It becomes really hard to make out the causes of wheezing. The causes can range from simply seasonal changes to chronic diseases.

A few possible causes of frequent spasm are early asthma, food allergy, inhalant allergy and a positive mantoux.

Always consult a certified pediatrician OR your health provider before the situation gets worse. The information provided here is only to create awareness about probable reasons of spasm/wheezing occurring among children.

#1. Early asthma

Asthma is one strong cause of wheezing.

If there’s a family history of asthma, the possibility becomes stronger. Without a second doubt, consult your child’s doctor to figure out if your child is asthamatic.

Fall in safe hands and update yourself about dealing with child showing early signs of asthama. An expert will be able to make a list of things that your kid should avoid; medicines to be followed and prescribe pump for critical situations.

#2. Food allergy

Some of you might be shocked to hear that protein rich milk, eggs, milk products, chick peas, vitamin rich fruits like banana, apple etc could be highly allergy triggering foods to a little kid.

Have you faced a day when all of a sudden your child falls of sneezing, skin discomfort or wheezing after having a particular eatable? He could be allergic, yes!

Excellent foods for growing children could be the main allergens.  I suggest you to get the allergy test done from a certified laboratory or a laboratory that specializes allergy tests.

You can refer to the signs and symptoms of food allergy in babies.

#3. Inhalant allergy

Another prime cause of wheezing could be inhalant allergy.

Do you know about the microscopic relatives of spiders that reside on your mattress, pillow cover, carpet and curtains? They might be the cause of wheezing in babies and kids.

No, dust mites don’t bite you. They feed on shed dead skin of ours and they can be a major reason your little one falls ill every now and then.

Do you have a pet? A dog or a cat? Dog dander also could be a reason that triggers allergic symptoms.

A test can be carried on to know which inhalants your child should be kept away from.

Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment for allergy, but to avoid the foods and keep away from inhalants that give rise to allergic symptoms. It is also true that in most of the children, allergy subsides after a certain age.

#4. A positive mantoux

A child facing on and off, on and off coughing, productive or unproductive, worsening with passing days and subsiding with medicinal treatment could be at mild risk of Tuberculosis.

Mantoux Test is nothing but a determination whether a tuberculin germ exists in the body. This can be spread merely through air. Get Mantoux skin test done. After 48-72 hours an expert will be able to determine if it is positive, negative or borderline! Treatment for this varies anywhere starting from 60-90 days.

Basic precautions to be taken to avoid frequent wheezing in babies and kids:

Prevention is better than cure. Take necessary precautions if your child has a history of wheezing.

1. Constant climatic changes are natural. Optimum precautions should be exercised at such times.
2. Use heaters in conditions such as winter, sudden drop in temperature, non-seasonal rainfall and whenever required.
3. Do not allow your child to have cold items like ice cream, cold drinks etc.
4. Keep warm, put on socks, take warm bath.
5. Wash hands every now and then.
6. As already suggested earlier, avoid giving foods that trigger the rise of spasm.
7. Plenty of fluid intake is suggested
8. Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, mosquito repellents, agarbathis, perfume and other strong odors.
9. Encourage your little one to use a handkerchief all the time
10. Use special hypoallergenic pillows and bed covers
11. Use vacuum cleaner or clean the house with damp cloth instead of broomstick so as to make sure that the dust doesn’t end up settling on bed sheets, curtains and furniture. You can also read about How To Make Chemical Free All Purpose Cleaner at Home
12. Change AC filters regularly. Wash the AC dust shield at regular intervals.

Home remedies for wheezing in babies and kids (First aid for wheezing)

1. Make the child sit right straight in case of a sudden attack or breathlessness
2. Warm water gives soothing effect. Make sure to give warm water every time.
3. You can make turmeric paste and apply on your child’s chest, it is highly beneficial as it contains anti-inflammatory properties
4. A few drop of mustard oil taken with dark brown jaggery also helps for older kids.
5. You can train older kids with breathing exercises and yoga asanas that help relieving spasm
6. Taking half a teaspoon of honey helps for children above 2 years
7. Soak fig in water overnight and give it to the child in morning, it helps.
8. Steam inhalation also helps for older kids.

Further reading:

• 21 Home Remedies for Cold and Cough in Babies
• 12 Home Remedies for Chest Congestion in Babies and Kids
•  Home Remedies for Dry Cough in Babies, Toddlers and Kids

Do not form negative thoughts and do not form an impression that you can never come out of chronic disease situation. Take a second opinion if required!

We are living in the century where fertilization of human egg takes place outside the womb too. There is surely a way out and for sure a treatment for early abnormal diseases, symptomatic or even asymptomatic.

Consult a doctor at the earliest and do the needful if you suspect wheezing in babies and kids.

Have you come across any other cause of wheezing in babies and kids? Let other moms be aware of it, share your experiences in the comments section.