What is it about ?
Acute dyspnea in children is a serious and potentially life-threatening situation. It can have different causes. It is important to find the exact origin of the problem and to start the appropriate treatment quickly.
What is its frequency?
Thus, the general practitioner sees 22 children out of 1000 with an inflammation of the respiratory tracts and a feeling of tightness. Inflammation of the epiglottis (epiglottitis) is usually caused by the bacteria Haemophilus influenzae type B. Vaccination limits the number of new cases.
How to recognize it?
Your child has difficulty breathing (dyspnea) and his breathing is faster. He happens to to cough. Speech can be difficult.
How is the diagnosis made?
First, the doctor assesses the severity of the dyspnea based on the speed of inspiration and expiration, general condition, and a measurement of the oxygen concentration in the blood.
In case of very severe dyspnea (for example, when the child is having too much difficulty breathing and is at risk of exhaustion), you will be referred to the emergency department for immediate treatment.
The most common causes of acute dyspnea are:
- a foreign body in the airways, often with a sudden reacting coughing fit and varying degrees of breathing problems. If suspected, an x-ray of the lungs or an urgent bronchoscopy (endoscopy of the airways) will confirm the diagnosis.
- laryngeal infections (inflammation of theepiglottis, larynx itself or trachea) causing problems when breathing in. In the event of inflammation of the epiglottis, the toddler is usually anxious and has had a high fever for several hours, hoarseness, difficulty breathing and hypersalivation. The child does not cough. Inflammation of the larynx (false croup or laryngitis) causes a hoarse cough and hoarseness; inspiration makes a whistling sound (audible through a stethoscope).
- lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis (infection of the large respiratory tract) and bronchiolitis (infection of the small respiratory tract). They cause problems especially when exhaling. In case of bronchitis, the child coughs and breathes quickly and loudly. The doctor hears a lot of rattling through the stethoscope and sometimes a hissing noise as well. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common pathogen of bronchiolitis in a child under one year of age. It can be recognized by the difficulties on the exhalation.
- pneumonia.
What can you do ?
If the child has difficulty breathing, contact a doctor as soon as possible.
What can your doctor do?
The doctor will try to find the cause quickly and initiate a suitable treatment, eg injections of antibiotics in case ofinflammation of the epiglottis, antibiotics in tablet form for pneumonia or possibly a single administration of cortisone in the presence of moderate to severe laryngitis. A foreign body in the airways will be removed at the hospital. Sometimes it is necessary to temporarily give oxygen or an aerosol to control the underlying infection.
Want to know more?
- Asthma in children – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Scientific Society of General Medicine
- Bronchiolitis: keep babies away – mongeneraliste.be – ssmg – scientific society of general medicine
- Young children: preventing the risk of suffocation – mongeneraliste.be – SSMG – Société Scientifique de Médecine Générale
- My child choked on an object – My child is sick – Geneva University Hospitals
- My child is going to have an X-ray – Plaster
- Haemophilus influenzae type b infections – Vaccination-Info.be
- For the vaccine, I hesitate … Is it serious doctor? – Health question
- The vaccine explained to children – Plaster
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