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Original poster

3yo sucking in tummy and neck when breathing...

26 replies

Mommaoftwo2 · 23/06/2022 22:15

Currently sat in A&e after being bought by ambulance. DS has had a cough all week, also has asthma. Called 111 tonight as he was really sucking in his ribs and neck when breathing. Have him his inhaler but it made no difference.

He seems fine in himself apart from a temperature though. Just wondering has anyone else's little on had this and what happened in hospital? Is he likely just to be looked at then sent home if he's fine apart from his breathing?

OP posts:
GrazingSheep · 23/06/2022 22:16

Had this with dd
She was treated and kept in overnight

GrazingSheep · 23/06/2022 22:16

And breathing issues are serious.

Sapphire387 · 23/06/2022 22:17

I haven't experienced this but wanted to send a handhold, I do hope your DS feels better soon!

ABlindAssassin · 23/06/2022 22:17

This has happened with DS2 a couple of times. His oxygen stats were low and he was kept in overnight with regular nebulisers. He recovered quickly once he was treated. Hope your little one is OK.

Lesina · 23/06/2022 22:19

When my grandson presented like this it was bronchiolitis. He was hospitalised several times for the same thing between the ages of 8 months and 4 years. Was on a nebuliser and had an oxygen monitor. Longest time in hospital was a week, least time 48 hours. He’s absolutely fine now though :)

PaniniHead · 23/06/2022 22:19

Happened 15 times in 18 months with DD. Kept being told it was asthma/viral wheeze. It wasn’t.

Jibbery · 23/06/2022 22:21

We had this and dd was in overnight. It’s scary but once she had nebulisers etc she was fine. It was asthma

JessicaPeach · 23/06/2022 22:22

One of my twins gets this frequently. They usually treat with a dose of oral steroids then monitor for a couple of hours. Sometimes another dose is needed too. If he's wheezing they usually give him a larger blast of salbutamol inhaler then send us home the next morning with a reducing plan of inhaler puffs

Bunnycat101 · 23/06/2022 22:22

I’ve had it a few times - in our case never badly enough to need additional oxygen fortunately but still sensible to be checked. I’ll never forget being in a paeds ward and seeing a little girl coming in struggling with her breathing, parents crying- poor little thing just looked awful. After oxygen she perked up so quickly and was out within a few hours (and long before we were). I couldn’t believe how quickly she went from looking awful to playing with toys and laughing. Hopefully you’re out soon and you’re little boy is ok.

EmmiJay · 23/06/2022 22:23

What was it Paninihead, if you don't mind me asking. My DD had this so many times when she was younger and I was also told it was a viral wheeze. Now shes older the inhalers help a cold/flu wheeze.

Kilofoxtrot99 · 23/06/2022 22:23

Use of accessory muscles when breathing is not a good sign in an asthmatic child- if they will tolerate a nebuliser or spacer then don’t hold back. Children can go off quickly but usually recover from terrifying episodes quickly too. Expect to be kept for observation and/or admitted for monitoring. Have a look at the asthma.uk.org for some good advice about asthma management plans if you don’t already have one. Ask the paediatrician for a referral to your asthma clinic/community asthma nurse if there’s one in your area. Hope you’re little one is ok.

Jibbery · 23/06/2022 22:23

Sorry, DD didn’t have a temp but think it’s was a virus that exacerbated the asthma

Babymamma192 · 23/06/2022 22:23

This happened with my 2yo dd a few weeks ago! Took her to a & e and waited for ages... Had to go and get a nurse in the end because she had gotten worse. They gave her 10 puffs of an inhaler through a volumatic spacer and it helped a bit but she had to have a second dose and we were kept in overnight.

We were sent home with the inhaler and instructions on how many puffs to give her and how often. Then she had a check up a few days later.

She's still got a cough and I'm still having to give her the inhaler every few days as she's wheezing been back to the Drs and they've said give her another week and take her back again if she's still not right.

If he's getting worse I'd go and speak to one of the nurses see if they can check him for you.

Hope he's better soon

JenniferBarkley · 23/06/2022 22:29

Happened to my dd1 when she was 3. I'm asthmatic but that's the only time she's had problems with her breathing so we're crossing our fingers. The gave her nebulisers and steroids and then we were able to go home a few hours later. They contemplated keeping her overnight so may well do with an asthmatic.

Yikesafhutt · 23/06/2022 22:31

Yes happened twice both times a UTI treated with antibiotics and sent home. Never ignore that type of breathing especially combined with a temp - it could be sepsis. Get well soon.

PaniniHead · 23/06/2022 22:31

EmmiJay · 23/06/2022 22:23

What was it Paninihead, if you don't mind me asking. My DD had this so many times when she was younger and I was also told it was a viral wheeze. Now shes older the inhalers help a cold/flu wheeze.

After a long battle to be referred to specialists, she has dysphasia (anything she drank went in to her lungs), laryngeal cleft, chronic lung infections amongst other things. She now has 7 consultants in different departments

opalescent · 23/06/2022 22:34

This is called recession, and is a sign of respiratory compromise in young children. This issue is that children can generally compensate with increased effort of breathing for a period, before sometimes declining and needing further support quickly.
It's really good that your little one is receiving medical attention, and with the right treatment I'm sure all will be well 💐

MulberryBush700 · 23/06/2022 22:34

Ours was viral induced wheezing (22m ODS), and the first time it happened DS was given an oral steroid shot and they used two types of inhalers (blue & brown). They monitored him with a view of admitting but because the ward was at full capacity and he was improving, we left after 6 - 8 hours. Minimum obs I think is 3 hours.

Fingers crossed he is feeling better soon!

HowDoYouChoooose · 23/06/2022 22:36

My son had this. It was bronchiolitis and his oxygen levels were low. Kept in for two nights with additional oxygen. He was fine. It was scary though! He perked up as quickly as he had deteriorated.

EmmiJay · 23/06/2022 22:40

So sorry to hear that PaniniHead.💐 I've never heard of this before so will do some reading up on it.

InChocolateWeTrust · 23/06/2022 22:48

DC had this as a tiny prem baby. It was bronchiolitis, deteriorated rapidly and spent a week on a ventilator.

had it a few times since and now near 3 years old doesnt require treatment although we've had to go in for monitoring once or twice.

Sunshine2904 · 23/06/2022 22:52

I was in your position a few weeks ago. My son was put straight onto back to back nebulisers which luckily had an effect straightaway - his oxygen levels were at 85% when we arrived 😱. He recovered very quickly and was running around the place 🙈but couldn’t maintain his oxygen levels above 94% by himself for the 4hrs in between inhalers so we were admitted overnight. He needed oxygen during the night due to his levels dropping. We were discharged the next evening with a weaning plan for the inhaler and oral steroids. As people say, it’s frightening to see how quickly they go downhill but encouraging to see how quickly they can recover too! Hope that helps and you’re able to go home soon!

Summerwhereareyou · 23/06/2022 23:00

Hi op same here. When dd has her episode often many many DC on ward has same thing.

I wonder if it's bad air pollution?
Our dox sent her home in that state, a and e the next day couldn't believe it.

Also no staff mentioned to me I could and should buy an oxomiter! It's so cheap and give peace of mind!

As pp said so quick down hill but so quick back up!
Also both times I went to a and e I had been told by local medic's to drive. Again a and e was incredulous and said ambulance every time!

Shiloh139 · 23/06/2022 23:15

My eldest DS had this once, when he was about 3-4, and he was kept in overnight and put on a nebuliser. Very glad we called 111, the nurse (it was back when medically qualified staff used to man the phone line) had just told us to get a GP appointment in the morning when she heard his breathing and said get him to hospital as she wasn't happy. He'd always been a loud breather so I hadn't been too worried by it but I'm so glad she told us who to hospital. I think he would have been in a very bad way if he hadn't got the nebuliser overnight.

Hopefully you'll get seen and treatment started soon and DC will be much better by the morning.

BlankaBanka · 23/06/2022 23:25

My DS has this 3 times when he was aged 2-4. Every time his blood oxygen level was very low and he was kept in for 5 days each time, with me allowed to sleep next to him.
he had an oxygen mask on constantly and was taking steroids.
They called it a ‘viral induced wheeze’ as too young to say asthma.
Since turning 4 he’s been totally fine and no further issues and no sign of asthma.

All three times we were blue lighted from the doctors and I felt really stupid for not seeing how serious it was, he honestly seemed fine! I bought an oxomiter and when he gets a cold I check him daily now.

Sending you both all the best 💐