Coughs, colds, or viruses are common among young children and may result in your child experiencing breathing difficulties. Although it can take 2-3 weeks for children to get better, these illnesses can often be treated at home.
Treat children at home if they are:
- Taking in more than half of normal feeds, and
- Making wet nappies, or
- Their high temperature lasts less than 5 days.
If symptoms get worse, then it’s time to ask for help. Call 111 as your first point of contact if your child is:
- Taking in less than half of normal feeds, or
- Their temperature is higher than 38 ˚C and lasts more than 5 days.
The Emergency Department is for life-threatening symptoms. Call 999 or go to Accident & Emergency when your child has:
- Long pauses between breathing, or
- Severe difficulties or is gasping for breath, or
- Their tongue or lips go blue on white skin, or grey or white on brown or black skin.
Children and asthma
Asthma is a common lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties.
My Spira App
Developed for children aged between 6 – 13, the MySpira app includes 8, fun modules, that use augmented reality and gameplay to offer the very best asthma education.
More information: https://www.myspira.com/
If you’re worried your child has coronavirus, visit the NHS website for advice: www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/coronavirus-in-children/
