[Foreign body aspiration in childhood].

Damage to the airways and lung parenchyma from aspiration is a common clinical problem with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. The insult may be acute or chronic. The amount of concentration, chemical composition, and size of particles vary, and the lesion produced may be reversible or irreversible. Death may be immediate or late. Recovery may be complete, or crippling pulmonary disease may follow. In this review is reported on the aspiration of foreign bodies or liquids into the respiratory tract. Specialty: in infancy, esophageal foreign bodies may cause mainly respiratory symptoms. Adequate diagnosis and therapy are discussed.