Shortness of breath can occur to everyone, including children. This breathing disorder may occur suddenly. Childhood shortness of breath is usually a continuation of a disease-ridden course.
Shortness of breath can also be caused by disruption of the lungs and airways. However, it can also be due to heart disorders, blood, and other organs such as the kidneys.
Symptoms and Signs of Shortness of Breath in Children
Children who experience shortness of breath will feel restless, breathing frequency faster than usual, looks pull on the wall below, lips look bluish, accompanied by additional breath sounds like wheezing or snoring. When it is severe, the child's consciousness will decrease, seizures, and his face turns blue.
To detect early signs of shortness of breath, parents should routinely calculate the child's breathing speed, listen to extra breath sounds, look at the child's skin and lips, and see the breath in the child's chest. Should see whether his chest becomes more concave or not.
First Aid Overcoming Shortness of Breath in Children
Here's the first aid that should be done to overcome if the child has shortness of breath:
1. Find a comfortable place
Immediately find a place as comfortable as possible if your child is short of breath. If necessary take your child to bed or in any room. The important thing the room can make your child rest in peace. Because with a comfortable atmosphere, this can immediately restore the condition of the child.
2. Put the child down
If you already have a comfortable place, then immediately position your child with a sitting or half sitting. If you need to put your child on the pillow. But do not ever position your child who is breathless with a sleeping position. Because this will actually clog the respiratory tract and make the state of asthma worse.
3. Do not panic
Most importantly, if the child is short of breath is never to panic. If necessary, invite the child to speak to calm him down. Or it could be by giving him warm drinking water to calm him down. So he became comforted and soon recovered.
4. Massage
Loosen his clothes. So he does not feel crowded. Then massage the lung nerve region located on the big toe. Or rather between the thumb and the index finger of the foot. But how to massage it should slowly. If necessary, give bronchodilators such as salbutamol to relieve crowded. But if this does not make your baby's condition better, then immediately bring to the doctor to get better help.
If your child is asthmatic, buy drugs such as an inhaled or nebuliza reliever. If the first aid has been done as above but there is no progress or frequent relapse again, go to the doctor to consult.
Treating Shortness of Breath in Children
There are many treatment options to deal with shortness of breath in children. Here are some general treatments to alleviate the condition.
1. Surfactant replacement therapy
Surfactants are liquids that line the inside of the lungs and keep them open so that the child can breathe easily. Doctors continue to provide surfactants to children until their lungs produce their own fluids.
2. Respiratory support
If your child is suffering from shortness of breath, he will need respiratory support until his lungs start producing enough surfactant. The respiratory tube is connected to the tube producing the surfactant. Respiratory support therapy is an effective way to cure respiratory problems and doctors usually combine them with surfactant replacement therapy.
3. Treatment therapy
Treatment therapy includes nasal sprays, acetaminophen, cough and cold medicines, penicillin, zinc, decongestants, corticosteroids, leukotriene receptor inhibitors, antihistamines, and eye drops.
4. Oxygen therapy
Oxygen therapy concentrates on providing enough oxygen for your small lungs.
5. Avoiding allergens
If your child has respiratory problems, avoid contact with pets, house dust mites, pollen, mold, and other pollutants.
Preventing Shortness of Breath in Children
Here are some steps you can take to prevent shortness of breath in your child:
- If your child has trouble breathing due to allergies, try and avoid triggers that cause allergies. Avoid any pet hair, dust, or allergens that aggravate shortness of breath.
- If your doctor has suggested medication and inhalation for your child, you should make sure that your child is taking it as prescribed.Make sure the child is well rested. Let him also wear comfortable clothes that are not too fitting.
Well, so how to deal with shortness of breath in children, may be useful, Healthy Friends!
