Lung and respiratory conditions are very common in Ireland, which makes this mum's video even more important.
Both of my children have suffered from respiratory ailments in the past. My son had to be brought to the hospital with a bad dose of croup when he was a toddler, while my daughter was given a course of antibiotics during the winter to get rid of a bad chest infection.
While most adults can shake off common chest infections they can be far more serious for infants and can sometimes lead to hospitalisation.
This video demonstrates what you should look out for in small babies.
The video posted by Charlie O'Brien shows her daughter Luna struggling to breathe.
Even though Luna seems content and sound asleep her ribs are indenting as she tries to breathe in air and sucking in at the ribs like this is always a sign that your baby needs to go to the hospital.
This is similar to what happened to my daughter at the start of the year and like the little girl in the video she seemed perfectly fine, just a little chesty but nothing I thought would be serious.
When I brought her to the doctor they said she was actually extremely ill and on the verge of needing to be admitted to hospital. Luckily after a course of medication, she made a full recovery but now every time she has a cough I wonder if the infection has come back.
The little girl in the video was diagnosed with bronchiolitis and the symptoms of this condition in which parents should look out for include;
- Rasping
- Persistent dry cough
- Rapid breathing
- Wheezing
- Vomiting after a feed
- Irritability
If your infant is displaying any or all of these signs it is best to seek medical attention immediately.
