A baby is admitted with wheezing and recession. What is the likely diagnosis?

In this scenario, the presence of wheezing and respiratory recession in a baby strongly suggests a diagnosis of bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis is typically caused by viral infections, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being one of the most common culprits. It predominantly affects infants and young children, particularly those under two years of age.

The condition is characterized by inflammation of the small airways (bronchioles) leading to decreased air flow and symptoms such as wheezing, difficulty breathing, and retractions (the visible pulling in of the chest wall or abdominal muscles when a child breathes). Since the patient is a baby exhibiting these specific symptoms, bronchiolitis is a very likely diagnosis.

While other conditions such as asthma, pneumonia, and croup are also associated with respiratory distress in children, they present with different clinical features. Asthma typically presents with a history of recurrent wheezing and may be more common in older children. Pneumonia usually presents with more pronounced fever and may include cough with sputum production, and croup is characterized by a barking cough and stridor rather than wheezing alone. These differentiating factors help to clarify why bronchiolitis is the most appropriate diagnosis in this case.