Severe difficulty breathing in a young child
Signs of severe difficulty breathing in a young child include:
- Breathing very fast or grunting with each breath.
- Appearing anxious or exhausted during feeding. Breathing is so fast that the child is unable to nurse or take a bottle.
- Using the neck, chest, and abdominal muscles to breathe, causing a "sucking in" between or under the ribs (retractions). The child may also open his or her nose wide (flare the nostrils) when inhaling.
- Sitting up and leaning forward or sitting with the nose tilted up as if sniffing the air. The child may fight any attempt to change his or her position.
- Pale, gray, bluish, or mottled skin color—including the tongue, lips, earlobes, and nail beds.
| Author: | Sabra L. Katz-Wise Ralph Poore | Last Updated: October 12, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics | |
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