Efficacy of Zinc in the Treatment of Bronchiolitis and Prevention of Wheezing Respiratory Illness in Children Less Than Two Years Old

1. Bronchiolitis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. It is an acute, infectious illness of the lower respiratory tract resulting in obstruction of the bronchioles. The etiology is viral in the majority of the cases and RSV is the most commonly isolated agent. The disease is more common in younger children under 2 years of age. Children often receive unnecessary antibiotics and often require hospitalization. An episode of bronchiolitis can be followed by recurrent wheezing episodes. RSV bronchiolitis in the first year of life is one of the most important risk factors for the subsequent development of asthma in both developed and developing countries. Thus, bronchiolitis is a global public health problem. Zinc supplementation has been shown to be effective in both preventing and treating pneumonia. However, no study has particularly examined the effect of zinc on ARI associated with wheezing. This study aims to investigate whether zinc (20 mg/day) reduces1. the duration of bronchiolitis in children.2. the severity of bronchiolitis in children.3. the rate of hospitalization for bronchiolitis.3. future episodes of wheezing in children.