Signs of Respiratory Distress
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Before you leave the hospital, you will be able to take care of your child with a tracheotomy tube and prevent most breathing problems. One of the most important things you will learn are signs that your child is having breathing trouble.
Early signs of breathing trouble may include
- Noisy breathing
- Fast breathing
- Sweaty, clammy skin
- Restlessness
- Change in breathing pattern
Later signs of breathing trouble may include
- Hard breathing seen as sinking in of the chest, neck, or ribs or head bobbing
- Flared nostrils
- Blue or pale gray color around the lips, nails and skin
- Your child does not wake to your touch or calling his or her name
If your child is having trouble breathing, and your child does not get help, he or she could stop breathing. You either need to call 911 or your doctor, depending on how bad his breathing is. You also need to take steps to check and clear his airway until help arrives, using the care that you have been taught.
Revised 7/07
