Alarming signs that require immediate attention
You can deal with asthma symptoms at home, and they are not always a reason to go to the emergency room. But you shouldn’t neglect the problem, either, especially if your child is having alarming symptoms. How can you tell when he needs immediate attention?
- Gasping for air: Forced breathing and gasping for air is an alarm sign and requires immediate medical attention. These patients probably use their accessory respiratory muscles, and they are only activated when oxygen levels drop dramatically. A tight sensation in the chest, breathing difficulty, and very rapid breathing are alarming signs, too, but sometimes they improve after using rescue medications.
- Audible wheezing: If your child keeps having an audible wheezing sound when breathing, it might be a good idea to bring him to the emergency room. It is only audible at a distance when the problem is more severe. If you can barely listen to him wheezing, use a rescue medication and see what happens next.
- No response to quick-relief inhalers: Quick-relief inhalers are recommended for patients with asthma as a rescue measure to improve their symptoms. In most cases, they will solve the symptoms by relieving the bronchospasms. Still, if they do not work after a while, this is probably a more severe exacerbation and needs immediate medical attention.
- Pale skin and cyanosis: This is probably the most critical symptom because it is a clear and alarming sign that oxygen levels are deficient. When the skin turns blueish, violet, or pale, it is time to use the rescue medicine while heading straight to the emergency room.