Instructions

• Instructions for new users

Call 911 Now If:

• Wheezing started suddenly after medicine, an allergic food or bee sting
• Severe difficulty breathing (struggling for each breath, making grunting noises with each breath, unable to speak or cry because of difficulty breathing)
• Your child passed out or has bluish lips
• Child recently choked on small object or food

Call Your Doctor Now If:

• If your child is wheezing, but has none of the symptoms described in "Call 911 Now If:"

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours If:

• See other columns for appropriate advice

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Hours If:

• See other columns for appropriate advice

Home Care (Read "Call Your Doctor…" first):

Warm Fluids for Coughing Spasms

For any bouts of severe coughing, offer warm apple juice or lemonade if > 4 months old. (Reason: These can relax the airway and loosen up sticky secretions). Do not give any cough medicines.

Suction for a Blocked Nose

If the nose is blocked up, your child will not be able to drink from a bottle or breast-feed. Most stuffy noses are blocked by dried or sticky mucus.

Wash out the dried secretions with warm water or saline nose drops. Use 1 drop at a time in infants. This will loosen up the sticky mucus. Then use a suction bulb.

Repeat nosedrops until open. Make saline nosedrops by adding 1/2 tsp. of table salt to 1 cup (8 oz) of warm water.

Humidifier

If the air is dry in your home, run a humidifier.

Smaller Feedings

Encourage small, frequent feedings whenever your child has the energy to drink. (Reason: child with wheezing doesn't have enough energy for long feedings).

Avoid Tobacco Smoke

Active or passive smoking makes coughs much worse.

Contagiousness

Your child can return to day care after the wheezing and fever are gone.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Breathing becomes difficult, tight or loud
• Wheezing becomes worse or develops any of the "Call Your Doctor…" symptoms