ABSTRACT
Wheezing in infants and children is a common clinical presentation to the primary care physician and the general paediatrician. Some children who wheeze have parents who were themselves treated for asthma; the child often has eczema or chronic rhinitis. Asthma is a chronic condition and as such parents and children are responsible for trigger avoidance, the recognition and treatment of acute symptoms and for the administration of maintenance therapy. Parents are keen to modify the environment to reduce asthma symptoms and lessen the need for medication usage. Smoking aggravates asthma-related symptoms and its cessation is strongly recommended for parents of asthmatic children. Children should have their inhaler technique reviewed on a yearly basis, especially if their asthma has become difficult to treat after a period of stability. The primary drug in the treatment of bronchiolitis is oxygen, which improves the infant symptomatically. Oxygen is best administered by soft nasal prongs, which reduce irritation to the nose.
