Objective To understand the respiratory health status among children under 3 years old in a city area of Shanghai and to provide the theoretical basis to promote children's respiratory health. Methods A total of 6 community health service centers were selected by stratified cluster sampling method.All the children under 3 years old came to child health outpatients in half a year were involved in this survey.Respiratory symptoms,the prevalence of diseases among 1 266 children were investigated by using revised international standardized questionnaire ATS-DLD-78-C. Results The report rate of persistent cough,persistent phlegm,wheeze,asthma and bronchitis was 2.2%,1.3%,19.1%,8.2%,17.6%,respectively.The report rate of wheeze of the male was higher than that of the female (P<0.01).The highest report rate of persistent cough,persistent phlegm,asthma and bronchitis was in the group of 3~years old (P<0.01).The report rate of asthma and bronchitis of the children lived in the internal residential area was higher than that of the ones in the external area(P<0.01). Conclusions The report rates of respiratory symptoms and diseases are different in gender,age and residential area.