What is wheeze?
Wheeze is a whistling sound from the lungs.
Viruses can make the airways swollen and narrow. This makes breathing harder. Sometimes you may hear a whistling noise when your child breathes out. This is called a wheeze.
Sometimes there is no wheeze. Instead, your child may look like they are struggling to breathe. Signs include hard or fast breathing. Open these links for more help in recognizing the signs of breathlessness in children.
What is grunting?
What are recessions?
How to care for wheeze at home
Check your child every 4 hours for the next few days and follow the steps in the wheeze advice pamphlet. You can also find this under Useful Links, or you can follow the steps below:
| Is your child wheezy or breathless? | ||
| ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Yes:
Using the blue inhaler and the spacer, give 2 puffs, one at a time. Check again after a few minutes. If no better, give another 2 puffs of the blue inhaler and check your child again. If your child is still breathless, repeat the puffs until your child improves, up to 10 puffs of the blue inhaler in total. Record how many puffs you have given. |
No:
No need for any puffs of the blue inhaler. Continue checking on your child every 4 hours.
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| ⬇ | ||
| Are you still concerned about your child’s breathing? | ||
| ⬇ | ⬇ | |
| Yes:
If you gave 10 puffs and your child is no better, get urgent help: call 999 or go to the Emergency Department. You can give up to another 10 puffs while waiting for help. |
No:
No need for any puffs of the blue inhaler. Continue checking on your child every 4 hours. Record how many puffs you have given.
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Using the salbutamol (blue inhaler) treatment log:
Record how many puffs of the blue inhaler you give your child in the treatment log on the wheeze advice pamphlet. Take this with you when you see your doctor or community nurse.
After Day 1: The number of puffs of the blue inhaler should be going down. If you still need 10 puffs every 4 hours, seek medical help.
After Day 2: Your child should need fewer puffs, and less often. If they are not improving, seek medical help.
Other important points
- If your child uses a preventative inhaler, use it as usual.
- If your child has been given steroids, take them as prescribed.
How to use the inhaler with a spacer
Using the spacer with the inhaler will help more of the medication get into their lungs.
- Hold the inhaler upright and shake it.
- Put the inhaler into the open end of the spacer.
- Place the mask over your child’s face, or put the mouthpiece in their mouth. Make sure there is no air leaking.
- Press the inhaler once. Let your child take 5 slow breaths, or count to 10 while they breathe.
- Shake the inhaler and repeat if more puffs are needed.
See these videos for help:
How to use a spacer with a mask for a baby or child:
https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/living-with/inhaler-videos/spacer-with-mask
How to use a spacer without a mask for a child
https://www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/living-with/inhaler-videos/spacer-no-mask