If your baby or child is struggling to breathe, see a doctor urgently.
Babies who are struggling to breathe may not be able to feed as well or as long as they usually do.
What will I see or hear when I look at my baby?
If your baby looks blue, is very drowsy or has pauses in their breathing, dial 111 within New Zealand (use the appropriate emergency number in other countries) and ask for urgent medical help.
Check the following video to see an 8-month-old baby who is breathing fast with flaring of their nostrils and pulling in under the ribcage.
What will I see or hear when I look at my child?
If your child looks blue, is agitated or drowsy or can only speak one or 2 words, dial 111 within New Zealand (use the appropriate emergency number in other countries) and ask for urgent medical help.
Check the following video to see a 2-year-old who is breathing fast and sucking or pulling in between each rib.
Check the following video to see a 3 year old sucking or pulling in between each rib.
Check the following video to see a 3 year old using the muscles around the neck during breathing.
Wheezing is a musical, whistly sound that children make, usually when breathing out. It can also happen when they breathe in. The sound comes from the chest, not from the nose or throat. It can happen if your child has a condition like bronchiolitis [1] or asthma [2] or viral wheeze [3].
Check the following video to see and hear an 8-month-old baby who is breathing fast - their head is bobbing and they are wheezing and sucking in under their ribs.
Stridor is a harsh noise your child might make when breathing in. It can happen if your child has a condition like croup [4].
Check the following videos to hear what stridor sounds like.
A grunt or a moan or a short sigh is a noise your child might make when breathing out. It can happen if your child has a condition like pneumonia [5].
Check the following video to hear an 8-month-old baby grunting and wheezing.
Thank you to Rhiannon Giles [6] for permission to share the video clips (videos 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 above) of her son Rowan:
This page last reviewed 09 August 2021.
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Links
[1] https://kidshealth.org.nz/bronchiolitis
[2] https://kidshealth.org.nz/asthma
[3] https://kidshealth.org.nz/viral-wheeze
[4] https://kidshealth.org.nz/croup
[5] https://kidshealth.org.nz/pneumonia
[6] https://rhiyaya.com/2018/01/08/retractions/
[7] https://kidshealth.org.nz/contact?from=http%3A%2F%2Fkidshealth.org.nz%2Fprint%2F2453