What is Rapid Breathing?

• Count the breaths taken during one minute. Rapid breathing is defined as over 60 breaths per minute for a newborn, 50 or more for an infant two to twelve months old, and 40 or more for a child over 1 year of age.
  
  

Causes

• When congestion is accompanied by rapid breathing, the possible causes are fever, RSV infection, asthma, bronchiolitis, bronchitis and pneumonia. See a doctor to get a proper diagnosis.
  
  

Treatment

• Offer plenty of liquids, use a humidifier and apply saline nose drops to clear chest and nasal congestion. If the child is too young to blow her nose, use a suction bulb.
  
  

Caution

• Do not give cold medications to a child under 4 years of age, unless directed by a doctor, says AskDrSears.com. Avoid drugs that contain multiple ingredients. The more ingredients listed, the more likely it is that a child will experience a negative side effect.
  
  

911

• A child needs emergency care if he has severe difficulty breathing, grunts with each breath, cannot speak or cry due to labored breathing, has bluish lips or passes out.