Breathing difficulty in children can come on with chest infections, asthma, croup, or severe allergic reactions, and recognising it early matters. Look for breathing that is much faster than normal, the chest or the skin between and below the ribs sucking inward with each breath, the tummy moving heavily, nostrils flaring, or a grunting sound at the end of each breath. In babies, head bobbing and pauses in breathing are warning signs.
Call your local emergency number immediately if your child has blue, grey, or very pale lips or face, is too breathless to feed, talk, or cry, becomes drowsy or floppy, or if you see signs of a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of the face or throat.
For milder breathing symptoms, such as a wheeze with a cold in a child who is otherwise feeding and alert, contact a doctor the same day for assessment. If your child has known asthma, follow their action plan and seek help early if their reliever inhaler is not working as expected.