RT Book, Section A1 Shefrin, Allan A1 Busuttil, Alia A1 Zemek, Roger A2 Tintinalli, Judith E. A2 Stapczynski, J. Stephan A2 Ma, O. John A2 Yealy, Donald M. A2 Meckler, Garth D. A2 Cline, David M. SR Print(0) ID 1139227245 T1 Wheezing in Infants and Children T2 Tintinalli’s Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, 8e YR 2016 FD 2016 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071794763 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1139227245 RD 2024/10/04 AB Wheezing is a high-pitched sound that occurs when there is an elevation of airway resistance due to an obstructive process. The clinician must differentiate between stridor and wheeze because this determines location of the airway obstruction. Stridor is a sign of upper airway obstruction (above the thoracic inlet) that is more marked during inspiration, whereas wheeze signifies lower airway obstruction distal to the thoracic inlet that is more marked during expiration (see chapter 123, "Stridor and Drooling in Infants and Children").1-4 Wheezing implies a generalized obstructive airway disease when diffuse and focal obstruction when localized. However, severe flow limitation may exist without wheezing, for example, the silent chest in a severe asthma exacerbation. Bronchiolitis is the most frequent cause of wheezing in infants, and asthma is the most frequent cause in children and adolescents.