Asthma Top Cause of Child Hospital Stays

Asthma and other breathing disorders are the top reason young children in the United States are admitted to the hospital.

A report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality said asthma alone accounted for more than 95,000 respiratory admissions through the emergency room in 2004, the agency said Friday in a release.

The AHRQ said respiratory conditions accounted for almost 40 percent of hospital admissions through the emergency room for infants and toddlers. For children ages 5 to 9, respiratory illnesses accounted for 26 percent of admissions through the emergency room.

Injuries were the leading reason for admission among children ages 10 to 17.