[Risk factors for recurrent wheezing in children under 13 years old in the South of Brazil].

Objective: To study the prevalence of and major factors associated with recurrent wheezing in children younger than 13 years of age in the urban area of Rio Grande, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Methods: The presence of recurrent wheezing was investigated in a cohort as part of a cross-sectional study that was begun in 1997 that focused on the morbidity from respiratory diseases in children then between 0 and 5 years of age. During home visits in 2004 a standardized questionnaire given by trained interviewers was used to obtain information concerning the family's socioeconomic and living conditions, maternal care during pregnancy and delivery, and children's current and previous morbidity patterns.