Mum’s warning: This is what an asthma attack can look like in toddlers
A popular blogger has revealed the tell-tale sign she knew something wasn’t right with her toddler’s breathing and is now sharing her story with other parents.
Sophie Cachia, AKA The Young Mummy, recently took to Instagram to share a video of her toddler, Florence, highlighting her unusual breathing for parents who might not be aware of the signs and symptoms of asthma.
Something wasn’t right
With asthma in the family, Sophie was quick to notice the symptoms appearing in her youngest child.
While Sophie and her partner were initially sent home from the hospital and advised to come back if they were unsure about Florence’s condition, they knew something wasn’t right when they saw her stomach moving strangely in time with her breathing. “This is what we took her back for on our last night,” Sophie told her followers. “No, we’re not doctors or trained professionals, but with Bobby being an asthmatic (and has been hospitalised multiple times with asthma attacks), we’re well aware of the signs to look for.”
Listen to your gut
In the video footage, you can see Florence’s laboured breathing. “The sucking in under her throat & her ribs means she’s working really hard to breathe,” explains Sophie. “We used prior knowledge & listened to our gut and Jaryd took her in just before bedtime. Lucky, because the poor thing spent the night hooked up to oxygen.”
‘I took my little boy to ER today because of this post’
Since posting, many viewers have commented saying how helpful the footage is, as it’s the sort of thing that’s hard to picture when described.
“Just wanted to actually thank you @sophiecachia_ for posting this, my 2yo son is an asthmatic but has never had an attack, and without having suffered from it myself, I donāt know what an attack looks like. His paed described one to me the other day, and then I came home and saw this and knew exactly what he was describing, one mum commented.
Another added: “Thanks @sophiecachia I took my little boy to ER today because of this post. We have been admitted, and he has been receiving excellent care. It could have been a lot worse if I didnāt know what to look out for and got him to the hospital in time. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. My boy has just been diagnosed with viral induced wheeze so we are very new to all of this.”
Symptoms of asthma in children can also include wheeziness, frequent coughing, chest pain and shortness of breath. If you’re ever concerned about the way your child is breathing, seek medical help immediately.
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