What causes rapid breathing in infants during sleep?
Dec 29, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Guo Xiheng
Introduction
In general, the main causes of rapid breathing in infants during sleep include nasal congestion, pneumonia, and fever. Specifically:
1. Nasal congestion caused by conditions such as rhinitis or upper respiratory tract infections can lead to nasal blockage, resulting in rapid breathing during sleep.
2. Symptoms caused by pneumonia often include rapid breathing and an increased respiratory rate. In such cases, the three signs of respiratory distress (tracheal tug, intercostal retractions, and subcostal retractions) are commonly observed.
In daily life, some infants may experience rapid breathing. What causes rapid breathing in babies during sleep?
What Causes Rapid Breathing in Babies During Sleep?
Generally speaking, the main causes of rapid breathing in sleeping infants include nasal congestion, pneumonia, and fever. Details are as follows: 1. Symptoms caused by nasal congestion—nasal inflammation or upper respiratory tract infections can lead to nasal blockage, resulting in rapid breathing during sleep. 2. Symptoms caused by pneumonia—infants with pneumonia often exhibit rapid breathing, increased respiratory rate, and frequently show the three signs of retractions (tracheal tug, intercostal and subcostal retractions). 3. Symptoms caused by fever—fever following gastrointestinal infections or even central nervous system infections can cause rapid breathing and increased heart rate. Antipyretics such as ibuprofen can be used promptly to reduce fever.
First, at home, check whether the baby is overdressed or if the diaper has just been changed, which might cause discomfort and irritability. In such cases, the infant usually remains in good general condition, and breathing returns to normal after removing these triggering factors. However, if rapid breathing persists despite eliminating these factors, and the baby also shows symptoms such as refusal to feed, vomiting, or insufficient sleep, it may indicate underlying heart or lung problems, with pneumonia being the most common cause.
In daily life, pay close attention to protecting and caring for infants, as their immune systems are weak and they are prone to various illnesses that may affect their normal development. We hope this answer has been helpful to you. Wishing you good health and happiness!
