Must Know Red Flags For Your Child's Breathing Patterns

Take note when your child breathes over 50 times a minute.

Smaller children normally have a faster rate of breathing those older children, but we should immediately show the child to a doctor if the rate of breathing is as follows:

Up to 2 months of age	60 or more per minute
2 months to 1 year	50 or more per minute
1 to 5 year	40 or more per minute
Older children	30 or more per minute

To count the rate, place the watch (with a second’s hand) over the chest of the child and count the number of breaths per minute.

Along with fast breathing, if the spaces between the lower ribs of a child’s chest go in as the child breathes, rush to the doctor. If such child is unable to drink anything, it is a medical emergency and the child should be taken to hospital immediately.

Common causes: A few common causes of breathlessness discussed under individual headings are pneumonia, Asthma, Bronchiolitis, Stridor associated with a foreign body or serious infection of the throat, Heart failure due to congenital or acquired heart disease.

Source: Book - Guide to Child Care by Dr R K Anand

To consult Dr R K Anand in person, click here

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