Hear the sound of breath grok-grok Little ones often make parents feel worried. Usually this breath sound will be more clearly heard when the Little One is sleeping. Ais it dangerous and can makes him short of breath? Then how to solve it?
Generally, wheezing in your little one occurs due to a buildup of mucus in the respiratory tract. This condition is common, especially in newborns, because the respiratory tract is not fully developed. But as the little one gets older, these complaints will disappear by themselves.
In addition, wheezing can also indicate a disturbance in the little one's respiratory tract. The cause can be due to increased production of mucus in the airways or narrowing of the airways due to inflammation.
Type of Breath Sounds in Your Little One
In children, there are several types of wheezing that parents can recognize from the sound they make, namely:
- Whistling soundBreath sounds like this are caused by a mild blockage in the little one's respiratory tract or due to a narrowed airway.
- High pitched, shrill voiceHigh-pitched breath sounds can occur due to narrowing of the upper respiratory tract, especially in infants and young children. This condition usually goes away on its own as the child ages. But be careful, high-pitched breath sounds can also indicate an asthma attack.
- Hoarse voice when coughing and cryingThese breath sounds occur due to irritation, inflammation, or obstruction of mucus in the voice box (larynx) in the throat.
The three types of wheezing above are common in children, and generally go away on their own. However, if the wheezing sound is accompanied by short and rapid breathing, fever, or a persistent cough, it could be that your child has pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, or airway obstruction by a foreign object. These conditions often progress to shortness of breath.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Shortness of Breath in Children
Shortness of breath in children needs to be recognized as soon as possible. There are three important things that you should pay attention to to recognize shortness of breath in your little one, namely respiratory rate, physical appearance, and skin color.
In the early stages, the little one who experiences shortness of breath will show symptoms in the form of increased respiratory frequency (breathing quickly), restlessness, fussiness, crying constantly, not wanting to eat and drink, difficulty sleeping well, and the skin on his palms looks pale. If the cause is an infection, he could have a high fever.
Meanwhile, in more severe conditions, the little one who experiences shortness of breath can breathe more than 60 times in 1 minute, the child's nostrils widen, and the muscles in the chest and neck tighten or look pulled when breathing.
If left unchecked, your little one's lips can look bluish, look weaker, and eventually stop breathing. That is why, the Little One who experiences shortness of breath must be immediately taken to the doctor so that he can be given help as soon as possible.
Early Handling of Breath Sounds and Shortness of Breath in Little Ones
If your little one experiences wheezing and shortness of breath, you should stay calm and don't panic. Before taking him to the doctor, do the following initial treatment to help relieve his breathing:
1. Guide your little one to breathe with his mouth
When your little one is old enough, you can ask him to breathe through his mouth. If necessary, provide examples. This breathing technique can relieve your little one's shortness of breath, and help him breathe deeper and more effectively.
2. Position Little one sits with a slight bend
This position can help your little one breathe easier, as well as make his body more relaxed.
3. Ltake off clothes
Loosen your little one's clothes by unbuttoning his shirt, especially on the neck and chest. If necessary, change to looser clothing. In addition, it is important to keep your little one away from cigarette smoke so that the tightness does not get worse.
4. Apply balsam
In addition to the methods above, you can also apply balm to your little one's chest, back and neck to ease his breathing and make him more comfortable. For babies and children, you should choose a balm with natural ingredients.
One of them is a balm with basic ingredients eucalyptus and extract chamomile. This ingredient is believed to help relieve your little one's breathing problems caused by nasal congestion.
Breath sounds and shortness of breath in your little one should not be taken lightly. Mothers need to know the causes and symptoms to recognize a dangerous condition. If your little one has shortness of breath, take the initial treatment steps above and immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.
