Breathing Problem in Kids
Health and Wellness » Respiratory Care in India »One of the common breathing problems in kids is due to coughing. It is the sign of nothing more than a common cold. In case if your kid experiences continuous breathing problem or coughing or wheezing, then it can be more serious problem like asthma or bronchitis.
Breathing Process
The air is inhaled through airway to the lungs. The inhaling process involves the use of breathing muscles. Air has oxygen which is a gas that our body needs during functioning. Oxygen then gets transferred from lungs to the blood. At the same time, the waste gas which is called carbon dioxide comes out when we exhale. It has been observed that if we breathe more, then we get more oxygen increasing the respiratory rate. We can control the air that we inhale, but the amount of oxygen that our body needs gets already registered by the brain. That is why we don’t need to think about breathing, especially when we sleep.
Cold is the common breathing problem among children. Kids nearly get 8 to 10 times cold every year, which will make them spend a lot of time to clean runny noses and bare the coughs. Sometimes, a cold can turn into a dangerous infection, affecting your child more severely with some breathing problems.
Causes of Breathing Problem in Kids
Difficulty in breathing can come, if the brain’s respiratory centre fails to work properly. The trauma to the brain, drugs like narcotics, increased pressure in the brain, problems in the chemical balances in the blood, etc. are some causes of breathing problems.
Heart can get some problems during pumping the blood to the lungs or the body. Situation can also come, where the body fails to get sufficient amount of blood with oxygen that results in breathing problem.
Lungs should function in a proper way to get blood and oxygen, but problems in the lungs will not transfer the oxygen. The infection in the lungs and cystic fibrosis affect the functioning along with causing difficulties in breathing.
Symptoms
- Due to congestion in nose, scratchy throat, runny nose and cough can stay for fourteen days and infants breathe with their mouths open.
- Appetite gets decreased
- Fever can be experienced between hundred one to hundred two degree Celsius.
- Uncomfortable appearance is seen amongst infants, who cannot communicate properly.
- Headaches and body pain may get developed with influenza, making the child breathe through the mouth.
- Lethargy and general feeling of illness
- Infants may get gagged or choked because of the mucous they are unable to spit out.
Diagnosis
If the child has cold or upper respiratory illness or has any symptoms that show breathing problems, then diagnosis is necessary.
Blue or gray coloring to the skin of the face or chest could occur. You might get worried to see your child’s chest turned blue, then it probably can be breathing problems. Things which you must look for is not only brief changes in fingers or toes, but some other symptoms too.
Preventions for Breathing Problems in Kids
- Habit of washing hands frequently
- Educate good hygiene habits to children
- Avoid schooling and contact with other children for some time
- Keep infants and toddlers safe from air pollutions
- All vaccination to infants at the right age is a must
Treatment Made by Doctors: The treatment of the breathing problem depends on its causes. Antibiotic, oxygen, bronchodilators, etc. are used to reverse wheezing. Difficulty in breathing because of heart disease needs some kind of surgery.
Other Treatment: Some mild infections or reasons of breathing problem which are not severe like cold, don’t need treatment. Antibiotics are usually not advisable to cure the tract infection of the respiratory system. All you need is rest and to maintain normal fluid intake.