What are common symptoms of foreign body aspiration?

Coughing, choking, and wheezing are hallmark symptoms of foreign body aspiration in pediatric patients. When an object becomes lodged in the airway, it can obstruct airflow, leading to a series of immediate respiratory distress signs. Coughing is the body's reflex to try to expel the foreign object, while choking occurs as the object obstructs the airway to varying degrees. Wheezing may arise from partial obstruction, resulting in turbulent airflow as the air passes through narrowed segments of the airway.

In contrast, other options list symptoms that are more commonly associated with different medical issues. Symptoms like conjunctivitis and sneezing pertain to allergic reactions or viral infections rather than obstruction of the airway. Fever and fatigue are generally related to infections rather than the acute presentation of aspiration. Lastly, chest pain and hemoptysis are less typical for foreign body aspiration and suggest other serious conditions such as pneumonia or pulmonary embolism rather than the immediate effects seen from choking on foreign objects. Therefore, the trio of coughing, choking, and wheezing accurately reflects the direct consequences of foreign body aspiration.