Your patient is a nine-month-old infant in respiratory distress with grunting respirations of 50 per minute, nasal flaring, and intercostal retractions. He is pale, and you note scattered bilateral wheezing on auscultation of the lungs. The mother states that the child is healthy and up to date on all his immunizations. Which of the following conditions is most likely, based on this information?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The clinical presentation of a nine-month-old infant with respiratory distress, wheezing, and nasal flaring is highly suggestive of bronchiolitis. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common causative agent for bronchiolitis in young children. It is important to note that while asthma may present with wheezing, it is not common at such a young age, and the absence of family history of asthma makes it an unlikely diagnosis. Bacterial tracheitis and epiglottitis are both serious respiratory infections that also present with respiratory distress, but they are associated with high fever and severe airway compromise, which is not evident in this case.

Your Patient Is a Nine-Month-Old Infant in Respiratory Distress with Grunting