Shortness of Breath in Children: What It Means

Shortness of breath means that your child is having trouble breathing. This could be a sign of a more severe medical problem. Your child should get medical care right away.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Give your child medicines only as told. This includes oxygen and any inhaled medicines.
• If your child was given antibiotics, give the antibiotics as told. Do not stop giving the antibiotics even if your child starts to feel better.

Pollutants

• Do not let your child smoke, vape, or use nicotine or tobacco. Talk to your child about the risks of inhaling nicotine or vapor.
• Do not smoke around your child.
• Have your child avoid things that can make it harder to breathe, such as:
  • Smoke of all kinds. This includes smoke from campfires or forest fires. Do not smoke or allow others to smoke in your home.
  • Mold.
  • Dust.
  • Air pollution.
  • Chemical smells.
  • Allergens. These are things that can cause an allergic reaction. Some common allergens include:
    • Pollen from grasses or trees.
    • Animal dander.

General instructions

• Keep your child's living space clean and free of mold and dust.
• Look for changes in your child's symptoms.
• Ask what things are safe for your child to do at home. Ask when your child can go back to work or school.
• Have your child rest as needed.

Contact a health care provider if:

• Your child doesn't get better.
• Your child is less active than usual because of shortness of breath.
• Your child has new symptoms.
• Your child can't walk up stairs or play like normal.

Get help right away if:

• Your child's symptoms get worse.
• Your child has shortness of breath while resting.
• Your child feels light-headed or faints.
• Your child develops a cough that's not helped by medicines.
• Your child coughs up blood.
• Your child has pain with breathing.
• Your child has a fever.

These symptoms may be an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Call 911 right away.