Pediatric Bronchitis Differential Diagnoses

Updated: Jun 22, 2023
  • Author: Patrick L Carolan, MD; Chief Editor: Girish D Sharma, MD, FCCP, FAAP  more...
  • Print
DDx

Diagnostic Considerations

Consider the following in the diagnosis of bronchitis in pediatric patients:

  • Retained foreign body

  • Bronchopulmonary allergy

  • Immunosuppression

Chronic bronchitis is often part of an underlying disease process, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, dyskinetic cilia syndrome, foreign body aspiration, or exposure to an airway irritant. Recurrent tracheobronchitis may also be seen in patients with tracheostomy or with certain forms of immunodeficiency. In all of these patient groups, chronic bronchitis should not be the primary diagnosis, because it does not describe the pathology of the underlying disorder.

Differential Diagnoses