Chest congestion

DS has some chest congestion today... he's not coughing, but he makes loud noises when he breathes, like he's very congested... He has no fever, he's still happy and active, it seems he might have a bit of a trouble breathing when he's on his back but that's about it... We called the pediatrician and they said it's probably just a cold, but obviously I can't help worrying...

How can you tell if it's asthma or just congestion? I'm asthmatic and he isn't wheezing or anything, but still...

 

I'm not sure how you tell with a child that small. My son was diagnosed with what they thought was RSV back in March at 14 months old. It turned out that he has asthma (or at least that's what they think). My indications that something wasn't right were that I could hear him breathing from across the room, not really wheezing, but very loud like it was hard for him to take a breath. He was also breathing from his belly, meaning I could see him sucking in his breath in the belly rather than the chest. I would say keep an eye on his cold. If his coughing is bothering him, you can elevate his mattress by putting a pillow under one end. If he doesn't improve or if he gets worse, bring him in to the doctor. Hope he does just have a cold and is feeling better soon :hug:.

 

Mine have reactive airway disease (asthma before it's officially diagnosed) and when they are having an attack you know it. They retract when they breath (when they breath in you can distinctly see the ribs and where they are sucking in) and if you listen to their breathing through their backs you could hear the wheeze. They will also cough a lot and it's a bad cough...not really productive...just hacky. Mine take albuterol as needed for their symptoms.

Now...when mine have "just a cold" they sometimes have the rattling sound when they breath. That's just from upper airway congestion so shouldn't be of concern. If your concerned, take him in...it never hurts to take them to the ped.

 

Sounds like a cold to me too. I hope he feels better soon and call your Ped if anything changes with his breathing. :hug:

 

He coughed a bit earlier but he's really his usual self... I'm definitely going to keep an eye on him, and check on him 30 times when he sleeps lol.