A mum has shared a video of her nine-month-old daughter struggling to breathe to raise awareness of possible signs of asthma.
Sophia Cachia, a mum blogger from Australia, explained that her older son Bobby has been hospitalised due to asthma attacks so she knew what signs to watch for in her daughter.
“No, we’re not doctors or trained professionals, but with Bobby being an asthmatic, we’re well aware of the signs,” she wrote on Instagram.
“The sucking in under her throat and her ribs means she’s working really hard to breathe. We used prior knowledge and listened to our gut and Jaryd [Cachia’s partner] took her to hospital just before bedtime.”
Cachia shared a video of what her daughter Florence’s chest looked like when she breathed.
Cachia explained Florence spent the night hooked up to oxygen. She updated followers to say her daughter was doing well and back in her own bed.
So what should parents look out for if they’re worried their child is asthmatic?
Sonia Munde, head of helpline and nurse manager at Asthma UK, said
There are currently 1.1 million children who have asthma in the UK, according to Sonia Munde, head of helpline and nurse manager at Asthma UK. Some parents may not know their child has asthma as it is “difficult to diagnose in children under the age of six”.
“It can be extremely distressing for a parent to see their little one struggling to breathe, and we know some parents are unsure about when they should seek medical attention,” she told HuffPost UK.
“When children are unwell with their asthma and they are finding it hard to breathe, it can be common for them to be more quiet than usual, and to see them sucking in their throat or tummy and around the ribs.
“Parents should also watch out for small children flaring their nostrils and having difficulty feeding as this can be another sign they are struggling to breathe.
“If parents are worried their child is having an asthma attack they should help them sit up straight and help them take their reliever inhaler (usually blue). They can call 999 for an ambulance if their symptoms are not improving or if they are worried at any time.”
It is not known whether asthma is hereditary. The NHS states that factors such as a “genes, air pollution, chlorine in swimming pools and modern hygiene standards” have been suggested as possible causes, but there’s not currently enough evidence to be certain whether any of these do cause asthma.
For more information about what to do if your child has an asthma attack visit the Asthma UK website or speak to one of their expert asthma nurses by calling 0300 222 5800.