Any condition affecting an infant's airways may cause difficulty in breathing. An infant's airways are so small that any amount of mucus build-up or airway swelling may cause breathing problems. It is important for a doctor to diagnose any breathing problems in your infant.
Types of Breathing Problems
There are many reasons your infant may have breathing problems. A common cold, stuffy nose, allergies, pneumonia or a foreign object obstructing the nasal passage are a few causes of infant breathing problems. Other types of breathing problems, such as asthma, bronchiolitis or cystic fibrosis, may also cause breathing problems. Asthma is a chronic disease of the lungs causing the airways to swell, tighten and produce excess mucus. According to KidsHealth, more than six million children under the age of 18 have asthma. Bronchiolitis is another condition that may result in breathing problems for your infant. The condition is usually caused by respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The small airways called bronchioles swell, making breathing difficult. Cystic fibrosis, or CF, is a genetic disorder which affects the lungs and digestive system. Infants with cystic fibrosis are more vulnerable to lung infections because the passageways inside the lungs are disrupted.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of breathing problems in infants include rapid breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, sleeping more than normal or difficulty sleeping, irritablility and flaring of the nostrils. Asthma symptoms include constant wheezing and coughing that gets worse at night. Bronchiolitis signs include stuffiness, runny nose, mild cough and mild fever that lasts a few days and then are followed by the worsening of the cough and wheezing. According to KidsHealth, infants who develop bronchiolitis are more likely to develop asthma later in life. Some children born with CF may suffer from nasal congestion, sinus problems, asthma-like symptoms and wheezing.
Risk Factors
Premature babies are more likely to develop breathing problems, as is any infant with a weakened immune system. A child is more likely to develop asthma if his parents have allergies or asthma. Bronchiolitis may affect your infant if he has been exposed to cigarette smoke or attends daycare. According to MayoClinic.com, bronchiolitis most frequently occurs in children between the ages of three and six months. Caucasians have the highest inherited risk factor for CF. According to KidsHealth, 1 in every 3,600 Caucasian children is born with cystic fibrosis.
Treatment
Breathing problems due to a viral infection, such as bronchilolitis, or a common cold do not require antibiotics. Plenty of fluid and a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier may help to loosen the mucus and relieve the cough and congestion. If your infant's breathing problem is due to asthma, your doctor may prescribe asthma medication. Most infants will need to use a nebulizer to inhale their medication directly into the lungs. Treatment for cystic fibrosis includes pulmonary therapy and nutritional therapy. The infant may also need oral or inhaled antibiotics for lung infections.
Considerations
Most breathing problems will disappear on their own when mucus build-up thins out. According to MayoClinic.com, sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, commonly shows evidence of an upper respiratory infection within four weeks of death. If your infant is having trouble breathing or breathing quickly, contact your doctor immediately. It is important to follow your doctor's recommendations to clear up any breathing problems as quickly as possible.
