Hello WriteAid (or do you go by Laura?)<br /><br />Thanks for editing my paper. It's fun to run into an editor who's interested in the subject! To answer some of your questions:&nbsp;<br />- adults may have more secretions and inflammation, but not to the degree they would compromise a child's airway. Other factors come into play as well, like children's airway are softer and more compressible, and they have weaker coughs to bring the mucus up. Hence, their airway caliber is easier to meet resistance.<br />- aspiration of meconium can cause pneumonitis - inflammation by irritation, as opposed to pneumonia that's caused by infection. It's because meconium is thought to be sterile, but some studies have shown that it does contain bacteria. In either case, it doesn't infect the lungs, only irritates them.&nbsp;<br />- those aren't red nuclei, they are actually red blood cells in the capillaries - congested vessels in hyperemia, commonly seen in hypersenstitive reaction and inflammation<br />- asthmatic people are not missing anything; in fact, they have an immune system that's too reactive. There is a theory that imbalance between Th1 and Th2 makes people more sensitive. Here is a study if you're interested:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15764907">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15764907<br /><br /></a>Thanks again Laura. I'm currently working on my personal statement for my residency application. I might have you edit it once I'm done.&nbsp;<br /><br />