Respiratory diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children < 5 years of age. Due to the differences in respiratory physiology, children are more susceptible than adults to severe manifestations of respiratory diseases. Respiratory diseases account for about 25% of all pediatric consultations, and 10% of these are for asthma.
The other main pediatric respiratory diseases, in terms of incidence, are bronchiolitis, acute bronchitis, and respiratory infections. Causative Factors Acute and chronic respiratory diseases represent a global public health problem because of their increasing prevalence and severity worldwide. This can be attributed to several factors: The significant increase in the prevalence of early allergen sensitization in childhood The frequent recurrence of viral infections typically associated with children The increased survival of extremely preterm…
