ABSTRACT
Wheeze is common in infants, its prevalence in the first year of life perhaps being as high as 60 per cent
(USA) and as high as 32 per cent in the first five years of life (UK). Wheeze is due to a restriction of air flow, and is more frequent in infants because they have proportionately smaller airways. The three commonest causes are:
• Recurrent wheeze: this is related to abnormal airway mechanics, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and genetic factors. Male infants are affected more often, with an increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after the age of 60 years.
