Title: Respiratory Distress in Children: Signs All Parents Need to Know
Headings: Signs Of Respiratory Distress In Children All Parents Need To Know
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What Parents Need To Know About Coronavirus
Signs Of Respiratory Distress In Children All Parents Need To Know
Symptoms of Respiratory Distress in Children
Tachypnea – Fast Breathing
This is a good example of a child who has tachypnea and retractions:
Low Pulse Oximetry And Respiratory Distress
Wheezing
Here are two good examples of children who are wheezing:
Retractions
Subcostal Retractions occur toward the bottom of the ribs.
Substernal Retractions occur at the bottom of the sternum.
Intercostal retractions occur in-between your child’s ribs.
Suprasternal retractions occur at the top of the sternum.
Supraclavicular retractions occur right above the clavicles (collarbones)
Grunting
Stridor
Nasal Flaring
Color Changes
Changes in alertness
Progression Of Respiratory Distress to Respiratory Failure In Children
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Content: Video Link: Tachypnea and Retractions
Low Pulse Oximetry And Respiratory Distress
Chances are good you have seen a medical professional use a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen saturation of your blood. We use this medical tool in children all the time to help assess their ability to breath and oxygenate their blood. In older children, we can attach the pulse oximeter to their finger and in infants we typically connect the probe to their large toe. A healthy child’s pulse oximetry reading should be approximately 95% or greater. Most healthy children average from 97-100% at any given time. If a child’s pulse oximetry is below 95%, they should be evaluated by your pediatric provider. Medical grade pulse oximeters available at hospitals and medical offices provide the most accurate readings, however, there are some home models that can be helpful for some parents. For children ages 2 and older, I like using this Acc U Rate pulse oximeter for children. Infants’ fingers are too small for a classic finger model.