For every woman, children are the main goal and meaning of life. For many years, starting from birth, the mother, like a guardian angel, protects and takes care of her baby. Even the most minor changes in the behavior of a baby raise suspicions in a loving mother.
Today we will talk about such a common problem as yawning in children. Let's find out why the child often takes deep breaths and yawns, how dangerous this condition is and what to do in such cases.
The baby's respiratory system in the first weeks after birth
A newborn baby develops very quickly. Human systems and organs grow at an accelerated rate. Therefore, pulse, respiration and blood pressure are always higher than those of an adult. In particular, the child's pulse can be up to 140 beats per minute. The baby's breathing is still shallow, frequent, and uneven. But this should not frighten parents if there are no additional signs of disease.
By the age of 6-7 years, life support systems return to normal, immunity increases, and all diseases are not so difficult to tolerate.
Causes
Malaise in a child in the form of rapid breathing can be caused by:
- stressful situations;
- colds;
- consequences of cardiovascular diseases.
Children generally cannot explain various ailments and often do not even understand how to express their concerns. That is why parents should be as attentive as possible in this situation.
Stress is the primary reason why a child may experience rapid breathing. After a stressful attack, the baby, both in sleep and while awake, may feel general malaise, loss of sensitivity in the limbs and much more, which leads to the development of the disease.
The cause of rapid breathing can also be a common cold or, for example, bronchial asthma. The active course of this disease can be expressed as an attack of tachypnea before the appearance of symptoms of asthma itself. Thus, if your child feels seriously unwell, and you notice the presence of a rapid respiratory rhythm during sleep , you should pay close attention to this symptom.
Tachypnea may also be present as a symptom in chronic bronchitis. In addition to rapid breathing itself, in this case the following symptoms are observed:
- temperature;
- cough;
- low appetite;
- general weakness.
If you find at least one of the listed signs in your child, you should consult a therapist.
Rapid breathing movements of a baby: normal or pathological
The frequency of inhalations and exhalations on the first day is very high, up to 60 movements. This is called transient hyperventilation and helps the baby adapt to life outside the womb.
It is important to know! Fast movements are necessary to remove harmful carbon dioxide. After a short time (several hours), the frequency is up to 40 inhalations and exhalations. This is the norm and does not require correction. Also, intermittency: frequent, rare, weak or with pauses of up to 10 seconds breathing is not considered a deviation.
Jumps and changes are associated with insufficient development of the respiratory nerves, so parents should not worry.
Different types of breathing
So that mom and dad don’t worry about the frequency of movements of the child’s oxygen supply system, you should know about certain types of breathing. There are three of them in total. Let's look at each of them in detail:
- Breast. With such movements, the upper section actively works. In this case, the baby may suffer from poor ventilation of the lower lungs.
- Abdominal. This is evidenced by movements of the abdominal wall and diaphragm. And with prolonged breathing of this type, the upper parts of the lungs suffer.
- Mixed. The most optimal type, in which both the abdomen (diaphragm) and chest rise rhythmically.
Standard Frequency and Deviation Parameters
If the little one does not have a stuffy nose, all systems work normally, he should inhale briefly 2-3 times, and then take one long breath. They are all superficial, but this is the norm. As the weeks pass, the breathing system is restored and becomes rhythmic and deep.
The number of movements can be determined by the rise/fall of the baby’s chest at rest:
- up to 21 days of life takes 40-60 inhalations/exhalations;
- in days 22-90 of life – already 40-45 movements per minute;
- from 3 to 6 months their number decreases to 35-40.
It is important to know! By the age of one year, the body's oxygen supply systems are formed, and the number of respiratory movements should not exceed 36 units per minute.
Frequent breathing: causes
It is normal for a baby to inhale frequently. But if a newborn baby breathes heavily in his sleep, and the process is accompanied by strange sounds and movements, he may be developing a disease. If the baby twitches, breathing is extremely difficult, with wheezing and additional symptoms, this is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. You should call an ambulance.
The causes of difficulty breathing can be anything: a cold, a stuffy nose, a foreign object or mucus in the nasopharynx, an allergic reaction and much more.
Dangerous pathologies and their consequences
Apnea (holding your breath) in an infant is often a natural process. However, there are pathologies that require immediate specialist intervention:
- ARVI. Despite the simplicity of the disease, a cold causes a lot of problems for an infant. The infection spreads with hurricane speed, can quickly move to other parts of the body and cause inflammatory processes. Additional signs: wheezing, sniffling, severe holding of breath.
- Oxygen deficiency. Additional signs: cyanosis of the skin, obvious hypoxia. It’s not just hard to breathe, it’s impossible, the baby begins to gasp for air and may lose consciousness.
- Rise in body temperature. It may appear due to colds and teething.
- False croup. A most dangerous pathology in which delay in calling a doctor threatens death. The child is suffocating and does not move. An ambulance is vital here.
- Bronchial asthma. Threatens serious complications, suffocation.
Attention! An ambulance should be called in the following cases:
- groans, whistling, heavy wheezing;
- cough and runny nose, accompanied by wheezing in the chest;
- gurgling in the throat and nose that does not go away for a long time.
And, of course, you should not delay contacting specialists if the child simply does not breathe for more than 20 seconds. Such a stop could result in death.
When not to panic
Having understood the signs of serious pathologies, you should know that apnea and other factors are not always caused by diseases. In what cases is it better for parents to calm down and independently help the baby breathe normally? Let's consider all the options for a child's frequent breathing without a threat to health and life:
- physical activity;
- excitation;
- cry;
- temporary underdevelopment of the respiratory system;
- accumulation of saliva, which the baby does not swallow in time.
If the baby's sleep is interrupted by stopping breathing for a few seconds, you can take the baby in your arms, cradle him and gently pat him on the back and bottom - everything will go away.
Why does a child sigh frequently and deeply? The main causes of lack of air
There can be many reasons that cause difficulty breathing in a baby.
The table contains the most common of them
| Cause | Description |
| Allergy | Allergies to wool, dust and other household items can cause shortness of breath and a similar unpleasant and even frightening sensation. Quincke's edema, as one of the types of allergies, is the most dangerous disease in this case. If a child begins to experience swelling of the skin, especially on the face, redness, and difficulty breathing, you need to call an ambulance immediately! To make the wait easier, you need to reduce the likelihood of exposure to the allergen , most often it is food, and cool the swollen areas with a cold, damp towel. |
| Epilepsy | There are cases of manifestation of the first signs of epilepsy , which consist precisely in a feeling of lack of air. But this option is unlikely and occurs only together with other symptoms, for example, convulsions or numbness of the limbs. |
| Asthma | Asthma can cause difficulty breathing. Most often, the disease is inherited . |
| Thymus disease | Infants may often have breathing problems related to the thymus gland. Older children have thymus diseases, but less often. It is necessary to consult a therapist and exclude the possibility of this disease . |
| Heart diseases | Poor heart function can cause shortness of breath and shortness of breath in the baby. In addition to difficulty breathing, the following symptoms appear:
|
| Angina | The tonsils become inflamed and enlarged. Attacks of suffocation appear, breathing becomes difficult, and sometimes fingers and lips turn blue . |
| Gastrointestinal disease: gastritis | In addition to stiffness during breathing, it also manifests itself as pain in the abdominal area. The first is due to an increase in the volume of the stomach, the second is due to the release of a large volume of digestive juice . |
| Neurological abnormalities | Stress or emotional overload can cause a similar reaction in the body. Accompanied by restless sleep and increased hysteria . In addition, the child’s general “twitchiness” indicates that his nerves need rest. |
| Curvature of the spine, osteochondrosis | If a child has a curved spine, the airways or lungs may become compressed and not function properly. Osteochondrosis will cause pain in the back and thoracic region . |
| Lung diseases | The options are different, these include perinatal disorders and acquired lung diseases . For example, pulmonary embolism. Blood clots accumulate in the lungs and blockage with blood clots occurs. |
Breathing problems in premature babies
Babies born before 37 weeks of gestation are called premature. Due to the inferiority of all life support systems, such babies have various problems. The earlier the baby is born, the more attentive the mother should be.
Causes of respiratory disorders:
- Underdevelopment of the lungs. Organ disorders threaten incomplete opening of tissues, and the baby puts much more effort into breathing. For such children, it is necessary to constantly maintain an artificial ventilation system.
- Apnea. The main factor here is an insufficiently formed respiratory brain center. But if in an adult such limitation is compensated by taking deep breaths, then a child is not yet physically able to breathe deeply, so there is no compensation. This is the main reason why long-term apnea occurs, which also requires vigilant monitoring.
As the baby grows up, all problems are solved naturally, the baby begins to breathe calmly and evenly.
Diagnostics
Don't delay visiting a doctor. Only a specialist can make the correct diagnosis
A specialist recognizes breathing pathology by the child’s posture and facial expression.
Noisy breathing can be a manifestation of a number of disorders in the body. If you notice this phenomenon in your baby, then, first of all, you need to consult a pediatrician. At the appointment, if necessary, the doctor will redirect you to more specialized specialists. So, depending on what exactly influenced the appearance of noisy breathing, the doctor can give a referral to:
- otolaryngologist;
- gastroenterologist;
- neurologist;
- pulmonologist;
- allergist;
- endocrinologist;
- genetics.
- To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor will assess the baby’s condition, find out what complaints there are, and how long ago noisy breathing was noted.
- To confirm his assumptions, the specialist will refer you for an examination, which may include:
- general blood and urine analysis;
- biochemical blood test;
- Ultrasound;
- X-ray;
- CT;
- spirography (to confirm asthma);
- bronchoscopy.
Conditions that help a child breathe normally during sleep
To ensure normal breathing and healthy sleep for the newborn, Dr. Komarovsky advises not to forget about the standard preparation rules:
- Choose the right underwear. Both underwear and bed. In the first days of life, the child breathes not only through the lungs, but also actively uses the skin for this purpose. Therefore, there should be no synthetics, lace, or other delights that do not allow air to pass through well. Only natural absorbent soft fabrics that are pleasant to the body will help you sleep soundly.
- Like an adult, a child will not sleep a wink in the stuffiness. Fresh air and normal humidity are the main indicators of comfort. The second parameter is considered optimal at values of 45-60%. This level helps to naturally moisturize the nasal passages and is a good defense against bacteria and viruses. You can open the windows several times during the night, especially if the baby's sleep is heavy, he often begins to groan. Ventilation during feeding is also normal.
- It is important to choose quality accessories for relaxation. Since the skeletal and muscular systems of a small body are not formed, you should discard soft feather beds and down pillows, which can also cause difficulty breathing for the child. A newborn should sleep on a hard mattress.
Sleeping position is also important for normal breathing. Sometimes a child begins to wheeze if he lies on his stomach for a long time. He may bury his nose in the folds of a blanket or a soft pillow and suffocate, since he still does not know how to lift and turn his head.
Advice! You need to turn the baby on his back, lay him on his side, the wheezing sound will disappear, and there will be no danger of suffocation. To fix the desired position, you can place a rolled up diaper on the baby’s body.
