- When should I call 999 about my child's breathing?
- When should I ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111?
- Look out for these signs of breathing problems in children
- Other signs and symptoms of breathing problems in children
- When should I see a GP about my child's breathing?
- How can I prepare for the GP appointment and what should I ask?
When should I call 999 about my child's breathing?
If you’re worried about your child’s breathing, it’s important to act quickly. They may need urgent treatment.
Trust your instincts. You know what your child is usually like, so always seek medical help if you feel that something is not right.
Call 999 if your child is:
- finding it hard to breathe or is very breathless. You may notice:
- you can see the muscles under their ribs sucking in with each breath
- your child is too breathless to talk, eat or drink
- your child’s nostrils getting wider (flaring in and out) as they breathe in and out
- your baby nodding their head when they're struggling to breathe.
- making unusual or noisy sounds when breathing, like wheezing (this may sound like a high-pitched whistling sound) or grunting
- breathing faster than usual or panting
- floppy and will not wake up or stay awake
- breathing irregularly, especially if there are pauses over 10 seconds long in their breathing, or if they stop breathing
- very pale or has blue skin, or the inside of their lips and tongue are blue (cyanosis). On black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your child’s hands, soles of their feet, lips, gums and inside their eyelids.
- having an asthma attack.
Your child may have more than one of these signs of breathing problems.
The NHS has more information about how to tell if your baby or child is seriously ill.
What should I do after I call 999?
Calling 999 can feel stressful and scary, but it’s important to stay as calm as you can. Try to keep your child calm too.
When you call 999, the responder will tell you what to do and what will happen next.
They might give you instructions about what to do while you wait for the ambulance. They’ll also give you an idea of when the ambulance might arrive.
If your child’s condition changes while you’re waiting for help to arrive, call 999 again.
If your child is having an asthma attack, follow our advice on how to help them, including what to do while you wait for an ambulance.
When should I ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111?
Urgent GP appointments and NHS 111 are meant for symptoms that need immediate attention but are not life-threatening.
You can contact your GP surgery for an urgent same-day appointment. This may be face to face, over the phone or online. Your GP surgery will tell you what to do if they do not have any same-day appointments available when you call.
If your child needs medical help now but you cannot get an urgent GP appointment, or your GP is closed (out-of-hours):
- call NHS 111 in England, Scotland, or Wales
- call your local out-of-hours service in Northern Ireland.
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child:
- is breathless, even if they do not have other symptoms
- is wheezing, even if they do not have other symptoms – this might sound like your child is making a whistling noise when they’re breathing
- is having problems eating or drinking, for example they’re not feeding as much as usual, or they’re struggling to eat and breathe at the same time
- is under three months old and has a temperature of 38C or over, or is 3 to 6 months old and has a temperature of 39C or over
- has a high temperature and also has another symptom, like coughing or ear pain for more than 7 days
- is showing signs of dehydration, for example having dark yellow pee, seeming drowsy, having few or no tears when they cry, or having fewer wet nappies than usual.
Look out for these signs of breathing problems in children
Remember to always seek urgent help if your child is finding it hard to breathe.
Find out what these signs and symptoms might mean:
Noisy chest sounds, like wheezing
Wheezing may sound like a high-pitched whistling sound that comes from the chest, usually when your child is breathing out.
Wheezing can be a symptom of asthma. Speak to your GP if you think your child has asthma.
There are other causes of wheezing too, like:
Being exposed to high levels of passive smoking or air pollution can also make some children more at risk of certain breathing problems and symptoms like wheezing.
If your child is well enough, you can record or film their breathing to show a healthcare professional what it sounds like. This is especially helpful if your child does not wheeze all the time.
Breathlessness or difficulty breathing
If your child has asthma and they’re very breathless, or if they’re increasingly finding it hard to breathe over a few hours, it could be a sign of an asthma attack.
Talk to your child’s GP if your child has trouble playing, talking or eating, or they're out of breath for a long time after laughing or crying. These can be symptoms of asthma.
Other causes of breathlessness include:
- lung infections, like pneumonia and chest infections – find out more about how to spot respiratory tract infections in children
- anxiety – find out more about anxiety in children from the charity Young Minds.
Irregular breathing
It’s common for newborn babies to breathe slightly irregularly and fast up until they’re six weeks old. You might notice that your baby pauses breathing for a few seconds, or breathes very quickly for a few seconds. This is usually nothing to worry about.
If your baby still has irregular breathing after six weeks old, speak to a healthcare professional. It can be helpful to take a recording or video of their breathing.
Fast breathing
Babies and children usually breathe faster than adults. If your child does not have other symptoms, fast breathing is not always something to worry about.
But if you notice that your child is constantly breathing faster than usual, this can be a sign of a lung infection like bronchiolitis or pneumonia.
You may notice that when your child is ill with a high temperature (fever), they breathe faster when they’re sleeping. This is because high temperatures can get worse at night, and they can sometimes make breathing faster.
Mouth breathing
You may notice that your child is breathing through their mouth more when they’re unwell. This might be because they have a blocked nose, which can make it difficult to breathe.
Find out more about what to do if your child has a blocked nose or other nose symptoms.
Other signs and symptoms of breathing problems in children
If your child has breathing problems, they may also have other signs and symptoms.
Everyone coughs from time to time and an occasional cough is not usually a sign of anything serious. Coughing helps us clear our airways of mucus and things like dust and smoke.
Most coughs are caused by a viral infection, like bronchiolitis. These usually clear up within 2 to 3 weeks.
Some conditions that cause breathing problems can also cause coughing. If your child has a cough that lasts a long time or it sounds worrying, it could be a sign of another condition.
Coughs can sound different depending on the cause. The sound can also vary from child to child, even for the same condition. Healthcare professionals will ask about other symptoms to help diagnose your child.
| Condition | Noise |
| Asthma | Usually a dry cough |
| Croup | Barking cough |
| Whooping cough | Whooping noise or gasp in between coughing - your child may bring up mucus or vomit |
It can be helpful to take a recording or video of your child’s cough to show a healthcare professional.
Find out more about reasons for cough and wheeze in children, including when to get help from a healthcare professional.
Your child has a high temperature (fever) if their temperature is 38C or higher. You may notice your child is more sleepy or irritable than usual.
A high temperature can be a sign of a respiratory tract infection, including flu, pneumonia, and colds. Find out how to spot respiratory tract infections in children and what to do.
If your child has a high temperature, you can usually look after them at home. Find out how to look after your child if they have a high temperature from the NHS, including when to seek medical help.
It’s common for children to lose their appetite for a few days when they’re unwell.
If your child is trying and struggling to feed and drink, this can be a sign of a problem with the lungs and airways.
For example, your child may not be eating or drinking well if they:
- have an infection, like bronchiolitis or a high temperature
- have a very blocked nose
- are generally struggling to eat and breathe at the same time.
The most important thing is that they stay hydrated by drinking little and often.
Follow the advice at the top of the page to check the signs that your child needs urgent help.
Mucus, sometimes called phlegm, protects your child’s airways. It traps dust and germs and carries them out of their lungs.
Yellow, green, brown or bloody mucus can be a sign of infection. It might not always be serious, but see a healthcare professional if your child coughs up mucus that’s:
- a different colour than usual
- more than usual
- bloody.
Your healthcare professional can help you find the right treatment for your child. For example, some infections may need antibiotics.
It’s common for children to be more tired than usual when they’re unwell because their body is using lots of energy to get better and fight the infection. Some children may also find it hard to sleep well if they’re ill, for example if they have a very blocked nose. If your child does not have any urgent symptoms, this is not usually something to worry about.
If your child is finding it hard to stay awake or it’s difficult to wake them (drowsiness), it can be a sign they are not getting enough oxygen. You should seek urgent help from a healthcare professional.
Follow the advice at the top of the page to check the signs that your child needs urgent help.
Chest pain, headaches and other aches and pains can be symptoms of a chest infection.
A tight, sore chest can be a sign of asthma.
Some babies and small children do not complain about aches and pains. But they may be more irritable than usual.
If your child is older, they might mention pain in their chest or stomach. Younger children might rub their tummy as well.
- Dr Andy Whittamore, GP
Talk to a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist for advice on how to treat aches and pains in your child.
Some children may have a runny or blocked nose if they’re having breathing problems. They may have problems sleeping because of this too.
A runny or blocked nose and sneezing can be caused by an infection, like the common cold, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or flu (influenza). Your child may also have a high temperature if they have an infection.
Sometimes these symptoms are caused by an allergy, for example to pollen (hay fever) or dust mites. It’s unusual to have a high temperature when a runny or blocked nose is caused by allergies.
What causes breathing problems in children?
The most common cause of breathing problems in children are respiratory tract infections, like colds, bronchiolitis, and pneumonia.
Other things can also cause breathing problems in children, including asthma and allergies.
It's possible to have more than one thing affecting children’s breathing, for example if they have asthma and a lung infection.
When should I see a GP about my child's breathing?
It’s important to seek medical help if your child is breathing differently than usual.
Follow the advice at the top of the page to check if your child needs more urgent help.
See your GP if your child:
- has a cough that lasts more than three weeks
- coughs up coloured or bloody mucus, or if you think there’s more mucus than usual, or if their runny nose is smelly or bloody
- has any symptoms that do not go away for 10 days, for example infections that do not go away after treatment or keep returning
- is not getting better after 10 days
- has a lung condition and their symptoms are getting worse
- is becoming more out of breath than usual after exercise or during day-to-day activities
- is unusually quiet or tired, or you’re worried about them.
How can I prepare for the GP appointment and what should I ask?
Before you go to the GP, think about what you want to happen at the appointment and what you want to know.
Always ask healthcare professionals to explain anything you do not understand. For example, they may ask what type of cough your child has. If you do not know how to answer, ask them to explain what they mean.
This checklist will help you get what you need from your visit to the GP.
Your child's GP appointment checklist
Tell your child’s healthcare professional:
- about all your child’s symptoms. It can be helpful to record or film your child’s breathing or coughing, especially for night-time symptoms. You could write a list and include details like:
- which symptoms are worrying you the most
- the time of day your child gets the symptom, for example if it’s after eating
- symptoms that will not go away, or keep coming back
- if your child has been in contact with anyone who has recently had an infection that affected their breathing, for example at school or nursery, or family members
- if anyone in your family has been diagnosed with a breathing problem or lung condition
- about any medication your child is taking, including tablets, liquid medicine, injections, inhalers
,
You could ask questions like:
- What do my child’s symptoms mean and why are they happening?
- How long do you think my child’s symptoms will last?
- What treatment do you recommend? Will my child need any medication?
- Will my child be referred to a specialist?
- Should I keep my child at home until they’re better?
- If I need to keep my child at home, what can I do to care for my child at home?
Make sure you leave the appointment feeling confident you know what to do if your child doesn’t start to feel better and how to keep your child well:
- What to do and who can you contact if your child keeps having symptoms, or is not getting better after the suggested treatment
- What symptoms should you look out for in your child that mean you need to seek more medical assistance
- Is there any way to prevent your child from having breathing problems again
Get support
Call or email our helpline for support with any aspect of living with a lung condition – whether you need practical advice, emotional support, or answers to health-related questions. You can also find support through our groups.
