Respiratory illness: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Respiratory illness

Sample item

What finding helps identify severe asthma exacerbation in a child?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. Difficulty speaking due to breathlessness

A child unable to speak comfortably because of breathlessness may have severe airflow limitation and needs urgent clinical assessment and bronchodilator treatment.

Option by option

  • A. Difficulty speaking due to breathlessness (correct)

    Correct: speech limitation is a concerning severity marker in asthma.

  • B. No wheeze with normal effort

    No wheeze with normal effort is not a severe asthma pattern.

  • C. Normal activity

    Normal activity argues against a severe exacerbation.

  • D. Mild hiccups

    Hiccups do not grade asthma severity.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Pediatrics questions

Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is A, Difficulty speaking due to breathlessness. A child unable to speak comfortably because of breathlessness may have severe airflow limitation and needs urgent clinical assessment and bronchodilator treatment.

Why is "No wheeze with normal effort" not the answer?

No wheeze with normal effort is not a severe asthma pattern.

Why is "Normal activity" not the answer?

Normal activity argues against a severe exacerbation.

Why is "Mild hiccups" not the answer?

Hiccups do not grade asthma severity.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Respiratory illness in Pediatrics. The correct option holds because: Correct: speech limitation is a concerning severity marker in asthma.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Respiratory illness?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.