A typical finding for foreign body aspiration is:

A typical finding for foreign body aspiration is:

• A. An afebrile child with sudden coughing or gagging while playing.
• B. Chronic fever with gradual onset wheeze.
• C. Gradual onset of dyspnea over days.
• D. Persistent vomiting after meals.

Answer: (A)

Foreign body aspiration classically presents with an abrupt event of choking and coughing when a child is playing and a small object enters the airway. If the airway is only partially blocked, the child may remain otherwise well and afebrile, and the sudden cough or gagging is the key clue. Fever at presentation is not typical, since infection hasn’t had time to develop from the aspiration. The other patterns describe different problems: chronic fever with gradual wheeze suggests an infectious or inflammatory process; gradual dyspnea over days points to a more slowly evolving airway or pulmonary issue; vomiting after meals suggests a gastrointestinal problem rather than an airway obstruction. So the best answer is the afebrile child with sudden coughing or gagging during play.

Foreign body aspiration classically presents with an abrupt event of choking and coughing when a child is playing and a small object enters the airway. If the airway is only partially blocked, the child may remain otherwise well and afebrile, and the sudden cough or gagging is the key clue. Fever at presentation is not typical, since infection hasn’t had time to develop from the aspiration. The other patterns describe different problems: chronic fever with gradual wheeze suggests an infectious or inflammatory process; gradual dyspnea over days points to a more slowly evolving airway or pulmonary issue; vomiting after meals suggests a gastrointestinal problem rather than an airway obstruction. So the best answer is the afebrile child with sudden coughing or gagging during play.