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Shortness of breath - an introduction
If your child is having a breathing problem, try to observe and describe the child's breathing pattern:
- When did the breathing problem start?
- Did anything seem to trigger the attack?
- Did the breathing problems start suddenly or did they happen gradually over time?
- Does your child have other symptoms such as a fever or a cough?
- Is there a family history of asthma?
- Most importantly, does your child seem to be very sick? How would you describe your child's condition?
All this information will help your doctor to diagnose your child's problem, and help you ease your child's breathing and make her more comfortable.
The most common causes of breathing difficulty in children are asthma and respitory infections like croup, bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
However, there are two very serious conditions that can cause very sudden breathing difficulties: epiglottitis and choking.
