Respiratory Problems, Age 11 And Younger: Check Your Symptoms

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When to See a Doctor

Does your child have a cough?

See significance of a cough if you need information to help you answer the questions below.

Review health risks that may increase the seriousness of your child's symptoms.

Call your child's health professional immediately if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Do coughing spasms cause your child to turn blue or purple, but his or her color returns to normal when coughing stops?

Yes

Does your baby younger than age 3 months have spasms that cause vomiting after coughing spells?

Yes

Does your baby younger than age 3 months seem more sleepy than usual?

Yes

Is your child coughing up bloody sputum (mucus from the lungs with more than just an occasional streak of blood)?

Yes

Does your child make a harsh, high-pitched sound when he or she breathes in (stridor)?

Call your child's health professional today if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Does your baby younger than age 3 months have a cough and a change in eating habits?

Yes

Has your child older than age 3 months had several spasms that caused vomiting after coughing spells?

Yes

Does your child have a barking cough with signs of mild difficulty breathing?

Yes

Does your child have an occasional streak of blood in his or her sputum (bloody mucus from the lungs, not bleeding from the nose or the back of the throat)?

You may wait to see if your child's symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or specified time period) if you answer "Yes" to any of the following questions.

Yes

Has your baby younger than age 3 months had a cough for longer than 24 hours?

Yes

Has your child had a barking cough for 24 hours or longer but does not have other signs of difficulty breathing?

Yes

Has your child had a productive cough for longer than 24 hours?

Your child needs an appointment within the next 1 to 2 weeks if you answer "Yes" to the following question.

Yes

Has your child older than age 3 months had a cough for longer than 3 weeks?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Last updated:	February 25, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer