Recurrent wheezing in children is often triggered by an undiagnosed viral infection About 22% of kids with severe wheezing had a viral infection Researchers aren’t sure why these kids can’t shake off their infections MONDAY, Aug. 12, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Does your kid suffer from wheezing that returns again and again? They might be suffering from a “silent” viral lung infection that would be better treated by changing up their medications, a new study finds. Nearly a quarter of children and teens with severe wheezing have undetected lung infections, researchers reported recently in the .
Unfortunately, these infections won’t respond to corticosteroids commonly used to treat wheezing, researchers said. In fact, higher doses of steroids might put children at higher risk of lingering lung inflammation, as well as other known side effects of those drugs. “While steroids can help some children with wheeze, many children in the study showed no patterns of inflammation that would improve with steroids,” said lead researcher , a pediatric pulmonologist with the University of Virginia School of Medicine.
Instead, these kids should be treated with medications that target viruses and symptoms of viral infection, Teague said. “I advise the parents of my patients that have wheeze episodes that are triggered by colds should be treated with anti-inflammatory medications that build immunity to viruses, such as ,” Teague said in a university news release. "They look surp.