Concerned About Your Baby's Breathing? Symptoms & What to Do

Question
my 75 days old son has the following symptoms pl guide me
what should i do about it
breathing rate--- he has a fast breathing rate,,,,color changes---- the colour of his nails is blue sometimes -- grunting ---- he gruntns while he takes every breath.... nose flareing---- his nose flares while takeing breath....retractions
The chest appears to sink in just below the breastbone with each breath - one way of trying to bring more air into the lungs.------

sweating
There is be increased sweat on the head, but the skin does not feel warm to the touch. More often, the skin may feel cool or clammy. This may happen when the breathing rate is very fast.------
wheezing
A tight, whistling or musical sound heard with each breath he takes
any one pl guide me what can be done in such a conditions of a child


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Followup To

Question -
This is related to medical problem .I have a 75 days old baby boy he is a ceserian baby . .Now the problem is that the day this baby has been born he makes hissing sound or to say grr.. grr... grr.. sound while takeing each and every breath.he has been continously makeing this sound since the day he has ben born though some time this sound stops for some hours but it then again starts.Moreover with every breath he takes he scequeses his chest about one and half inch inside and then comes out.May i request that if any one has any information on this topic pl help me out or pl guide me what is all this happening and what should i do?
thanks and regards sandeep


Answer -
Hello,

When evaluating a baby that is making unusual respiratory sounds (I think you are describing grunting) .I would first want to make sure that the child is not in respiratory distress.  This is quickly done by measuring his respiratory rate and observing his respiratory effort.  A 75 day old baby normally has a respiratory rate of 30-45.  If his rate is higher than 45 he needs to be seen.  Also, the presence of a fever would indicate an evaluation.

However, with your baby it is reassuring that this condition has been present since birth and has accompanied every breath.  This makes respiratory distress unlikely.  Which leaves other causes of grunting to consider.  

The first area I would consider in your son is the possibility of a congenital airway or esophageal defect.  The fact that the sound is there during every breath indicates some permanence.  Anatomical defects are permanent, while colic and GERD are intermittent.  Those two, constipation and elation (yes, happiness) represent other causes main causes.  But they're all intermittent.  

After establishing that the baby is in no significant distress, you might consider having him seen to rule out congenital anatomical malformations such as a tracheal-esophageal fistula.

Best of luck, I hope this helps.


Answer
Hello,

The symptoms you are describing suggest that the baby may be in respiratory distress.  In newborns (I know he's almost three months) the big concern in a scenario like this is the possible presence of a congenital defect.  Various malformations such as tracheal-esophageal fistulas can generate symptoms much like what you are describing.

Any child that has cyanosis (blue skin, blue nails) needs to be evaluated promptly.  It sounds like he is not unstable, but clearly there is a process going on that is impairing his ability to exchange oxygen.  Thats why he is blue and breathing fast.  He needs to be seen before he decompensates.

Best of luck, I'm sure this is very hard for you.

Dr.T