When to consult a doctor #Breathing problems

Immediately consult a doctor if :

• Your baby stopped breathing, requiring some form of stimulation or resuscitation to recover
• Your child is breathing too fast: above 50 times per minute in babies and infants and above 40 times per minute in toddlers
• There are abnormal breath sounds, like an audible sound on taking in a breath (stridor) or an audible whistling noise when breathing out (wheezing).
• There are any of the following signs indicating that breathing has become hard work and that your little one may eventually tire: your baby struggles to finish the usual volume of a feed; the presence of chest wall indrawing (the soft tissues above the collar bones, between the ribs or below the ribcage sinks into the chest during breathing); use of the neck and/or abdominal muscles to breathe
• There is a blue hue to lips, tongue or nails (very late sign - call the ambulance rather, as there is an urgent need for oxygen)