Children may have trouble breathing from an illness or a medical condition. Quickly recognizing signs of trouble breathing is very important — it allows your child to get the treatment they need before it becomes more serious.
Check your child's breathing rate when they are calm and resting, not crying, playing, or just after exercise. Follow these steps:
- Watch your child's chest or belly.
- Count each time the chest or belly rises and falls. One rise and one fall equals one breath.
- Use a timer or clock and count the breaths for one minute (60 seconds).
- Write down the number of breaths you counted.
Compare your child's breathing rate to the chart below. When they're calm or asleep, the number of times kids breathe in a minute is:
Age Breaths per Minute
0–1 Year 30–60
1–2 Years 24–40
3–5 Years 20–30
6–11 Years 18–25
12 and Up 12–20
Your child's breathing rate is slower or faster than the normal rate for their age or your child has any signs of trouble breathing listed below:
- Fast breathing
- Noisy breathing, such as grunting, wheezing, or other new breathing sounds
- Nostrils opening wide with each breath
- Skin pulling in around the ribs, collarbone, or neck with each breath (called retractions)
- Sweating, especially if the skin feels cool or clammy
- Eating less, stopping often during feeding, or getting tired while eating
- Pale, gray, or blue skin, lips, mouth, or nails
- Head bobbing with breathing
- Sitting or leaning forward, or tilting the head back, to breathe more easily
If you can't get in touch with your healthcare provider within a few minutes or your child has symptoms that worry you or seems very sick, call 911 or take your child to the ER.
What causes trouble breathing in kids? Trouble breathing in kids can come from many different things. Here are the most common causes:
- Respiratory infections such as colds, coughs, and pneumonia
- Asthma — a medical condition where airways tighten and swell
- Severe allergic reactions
- Being around smoke or fumes
- Anxiety or panic
- Choking on food or a toy
- Heart problems or other medical conditions
How can I help my child avoid breathing problems? It can help to:
- Follow your healthcare provider's instructions for treatment for medical problems such as asthma or severe allergies.
- Help your child avoid infections by having all family members:
- Sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue away and wash their hands well. If a tissue is not available, they should sneeze into their upper sleeve or inner elbow, not their hands.
- Wash hands well and often with soap and water and scrub for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after coughing or sneezing, or after having a bowel movement. If soap and water are not available, they can use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
- Get all recommended vaccines (shots).
- Make your home and car smoke- and vapor-free. For help quitting, call 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) or visit smokefree.gov.
- Take a Red Cross CPR and First Aid class so you know what to do if your child is choking. Classes are available online and in person. Schedules can be found online at redcross.org/take-a-class/lp/first-aid-training-for-parents/.
