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difficulty breathing in children

difficulty breathing can occur when a child's lungs or heart are not working well.

mild trouble breathing means:

  • the child is breathing a little faster than usual.
  • the child seems a little out of breath but can still eat or talk.

moderate trouble breathing means:

  • the child is breathing a lot faster than usual.
  • the child has to take breaks from eating or talking to breathe.
  • the nostrils flare or the belly moves in and out at times when the child breathes.

severe trouble breathing means:

  • the child cannot eat or talk because he or she is breathing so hard.
  • the child's nostrils are flaring and the belly is moving in and out with every breath.
  • the child seems to be tiring out.
  • the child seems very sleepy or confused.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use. learn how we develop our content.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy. to learn more about healthwise, visit healthwise.org. © 1995-2022 healthwise, incorporated. healthwise, healthwise for every health decision, and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise, incorporated.

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