Table 2. Age-Related Differential Diagnosis for Wheezing

Condition	Relative Frequency of Occurrence
Condition	Infancy	Childhood	Adolescence
Asthma	+	+++	+++
Airway malacia	++	+	−
Cystic fibrosis	+++	+	±
Foreign body	++	+++	±
Airway infection	+++	++	+
Bronchopulmonary dysplasia	+++	+	−
Primary ciliary dyskinesia	+	++	+
Bronchiectasis	+	+	+
Congenital anomalies (vascular ring)	+++	+	−
Vocal cord dysfunction	−	±	++
Tumors	±	±	±
Aspiration syndromes (including gastroesophogeal reflux)	+	±	±
Pulmonary edema	+	+	+

−, Unlikely to present in this age group; +, likely to present in this age group.
Reprinted from Bacharier and Gilbert²⁰ and Bacharier⁵⁴; originally modified from Bierman and Pearlman.⁵⁵