What To Do When Your Child is Having Trouble Breathing

There are few things more intense or frightening as when it appears that your child is having trouble breathing. As a parent, you need to be able to do a quick assessment of the situation and take appropriate and precise action. The first thing you must do is keep your head about you. Secondly, you need to figure out why your child is having trouble breathing. Were they eating something and it went down the wrong pipe? Are they having an allergic reaction, an anaphylactic shock to something? Do they have some sort of lung disease such as asthma or cystic fibrosis? Once you figure out why, you need to go into action.

If the child is choking, are you able to remove the object that they are choking on. (if you have children, it might be a good idea to take CPR) If so, problem solved. If not, you must continue trying to dislodge the item while you are calling 911. The American Heart Association has specific guidelines on how to do this with back blows and chest blows.
If you have a teenager that is choking, you can do the Heimlich maneuver on them. However you do it, it is imperative to restore breathing to that child.

If they are having an allergic reaction and now they are having trouble breathing, you need to dial 911. If you have an epi pen, use it.
Give benedryl to them ONLY if they are able to swallow. Get them to the hospital or wait for the ambulance to arrive..but do it quickly.

Does your child have a lung disease? Asthma is the most common childhood lung illness in the United States.

My advice to pediatric asthma treatment or cystic fibrosis treatment
is that you find an outstanding Pediatric Pulmonologist. It is also important that this Pulmonologist have excellent Respiratory Therapists on staff to do teaching that your child or you can understand. It is important that a Pulmonologist be involved because of all of the new treatments and medications that have come about just in the last 20 years.

All of these are reasons to get your child to the Emergency Room as soon as possible.

Please remember that your child's breathing is a serious matter. If they complain of being short of breath or if you notice any signs and symptoms of them having any difficulty breathing, you need to get them help immediately.

The American Lung Association says, "When you can't breathe, nothing else matters..." This is very true.