Kids - Severity of breathing difficulty

    • The main concern is noting how much difficulty breathing is present.
    • If you feel your child's breathing is so difficult that you do not have time to call the doctor, call for the ambulance ( 000 ).

Severe difficulty breathing

  • A child is struggling to take each breath.
  • Retractions are seen of the stomach muscles, the muscles between the ribs and those above the collarbone.
  • Audible grunting may be noted.
  • He may need to sit up and lean forward just to breathe.
  • The child will appear agitated or frantic.
  • The child will not make good eye contact, interact and there is obvious difficulty getting a word out.
  • A baby may appear listless and is unable to suck a bottle or nurse effectively.
  • The tongue, lips and possibly nailbeds will appear blue.  

This is a real emergency and it must be decided if it is quicker to take the child immediately to the emergency room or call 000.

Mild difficulty breathing

  • A child is breathing a little faster than usual, but is able to eat and talk normally.
  • Babies are able to take a bottle or nurse comfortably and are able to smile and coo.
  • The stomach muscles may be moving in and out very slightly when the child breathes.
  • This visible movement of extra muscles to breathe is called retractions.
  • Places to look for retractions include the muscles in the neck, the muscles in between or below the ribs and the stomach muscles.

Moderate difficulty breathing

  • A child is breathing with more effort than normal, has retractions of the muscles of the stomach and between the ribs.
  • He may appear pale, but not blue.
  • He will interact and talk in short phrases, but maybe not in complete sentences and may play for brief periods.
  • A baby taking the bottle or nursing may need to pause more frequently, but is able to feed.
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