If your child is having difficulty breathing/respiratory distress please text/call 503 400 3852 and consider an ER visit.

How To Help Your Child

Signs of Respiratory Distress

  • Working hard to move air in and out with every breath – especially if seen when “at rest”

  • Grunting sounds (pushing air out) with every breath

  • Retractions (skin and muscle dip in) above, below and between ribs when trying to draw in air.

  • Unable to make a sustained cry ( a pattern of short cry, pant, short cry...) or refusing to talk

  • Can’t drink enough fluid to make urine at least every 12 hours due to breathing

  • Very rapid breathing – more than 1 breath every second for a sustained period.

  • Can’t keep normal/expected level of awareness/alertness.

  • “Head bobbing” with breathing (head tilted back, mouth open and lots of chest movement)

  • Ongoing dry, shallow cough with nearly every breath.

NOT Signs of Respiratory Distress

  • Child shows sign of respiratory distress BUT ONLY BRIEFLY.

  • Loud breathing/Mouth breathing

  • Child is smiling, babbling, talking normally.

When to Worry

 

Contact us by texting or calling 503 400 3852 option 2 if child:

  • Displays signs of respiratory distress as described above.

This advice about symptom relief is intended to equip you to help your child at home. If you have continued concerns please contact our office. If this is a medical emergency, please call 911 and us. We can also help during an emergency.

If you are not a Small Town Pediatrics family, please contact your child’s medical office or click Accepting New Patients to register your child with us.