Observing a baby’s breathing patterns offers insights into their well-being. While typical infant breathing is gentle and rhythmic, visual cues indicate difficulty. Understanding these signs, known as retractions, helps parents recognize when a baby struggles to get enough air.
Identifying Retractions
Retractions appear as the skin around a baby’s chest and neck pulls inward with each breath. This inward pulling differs from normal baby breathing, which involves smooth, effortless movement of the chest and abdomen. The location of these retractions can vary, offering clues about where the increased effort is occurring.
Intercostal retractions involve the skin between the ribs caving in, creating visible indentations. Subcostal retractions are seen as the skin just below the ribs pulls inward. Both types show that accessory muscles are engaged to expand the lungs.
Suprasternal retractions occur when the skin above the breastbone (sternum) sinks in. Supraclavicular retractions are visible as the skin above the collarbones pulls inward with each breath. Nasal flaring, where nostrils widen with each inhalation, is another sign.
Understanding Respiratory Distress
Retractions signify increased breathing effort. This increased effort is a primary symptom of respiratory distress, a condition where the body struggles to get sufficient oxygen. The chest wall of infants is more flexible than that of older children or adults, making retractions more noticeable in babies.
Other signs may accompany retractions, indicating broader respiratory distress. These include rapid breathing (tachypnea), where the baby breathes faster than normal. Grunting sounds during exhalation, an attempt to keep air in the lungs and prevent collapse, might also be heard. Head bobbing, where the baby’s head bobs with each breath, can also be present in severe cases.
When to Seek Medical Help
Any retractions in a baby warrant immediate medical attention. These are serious signs of breathing struggle; delaying care can worsen the situation. Parents should contact their pediatrician or seek emergency care, depending on severity and accompanying symptoms.
Go to an urgent care center or call emergency services (like 911) if retractions are severe, persistent, or if the baby shows other concerning signs. Red flags for immediate emergency care include bluish lips or face, indicating low oxygen levels. Other urgent signs are unresponsiveness, lethargy, or inability to feed.
Common Causes of Retractions
Various medical conditions can lead to retractions, as they indicate underlying breathing difficulty. Respiratory infections are frequent culprits, such as bronchiolitis, which causes swelling in the small airways. Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, and croup, characterized by a barking cough and airway swelling, can also cause retractions.
Other potential causes include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a common viral infection in infants, and asthma flare-ups. Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) can also trigger retractions. Only a medical professional can accurately diagnose the specific cause of retractions.