#Retractions

RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis, which can make infants and toddlers wheeze and have difficulty breathing. We look for retractions, belly breathing, fast breathing, grunting, nasal flaring and head bobbing as signs that kids are strugging #rsv #bronchiolitis #emergency #parents #medicine #exam #medschool Disclaimer: For educational and entertainment purposes only and should not be regarded as medical advice or replace the advice of your physician

Over the next few days we’re going to be looking at retraction examples! More to come in stories! Where to Look ➡️ Neck / suprasternal (above collarbones) ➡️ Intercostal (between ribs) ‼️ Subcostal (below ribs shown in video) ➡️ Tracheal tug (deep pull at the neck) ⚠️ Belly breathing alone is normal in babies. Retractions = skin pulling in, not just the belly moving (check my normal breaths highlight) 🚨 ER NOW (Don’t Wait) ➡️ Moderate to severe retractions (visible at rest, not just when crying) ➡️ Fast breathing above normal for age ➡️ Nasal flaring with breathing ➡️ Head bobbing in infants ➡️ Pauses in breathing (apnea) ➡️ Blue or gray lips, face, or fingertips ➡️ Unable to feed or exhausting quickly while feeding ➡️ Lethargy or hard to wake ‼️Outpatient Pediatrician / Urgent Care Call or schedule same-day pediatric care if: ➡️ Mild retractions only when upset or coughing ➡️ Increased work of breathing, but improving at rest, and will still play and smile ➡️ Wheezing or persistent cough without distress ➡️ Reduced intake, but still making wet diapers ➡️ Child is alert and interactive ⚠️ High-Risk Kids = Lower Threshold Seek care earlier if your child is: Under 6 months old Born premature Immunocompromised Has heart or lung disease ‼️ Retractions at REST matter most. If you can see them while your child is calm or sleeping, that’s concerning. I’m Leslie, NP here to make you feel confident. Follow @ask_the_np_mom for more RSV series. Drop questions below! #sick #infant #toddler #emergency RSV

🚨 Parents - This is NOT normal breathing. 
😮‍💨 If you see ribs pulling in, the neck sucking in, flaring nostrils or your baby working hard to breathe — those are retractions.
Retractions mean your child is struggling to get enough air and needs urgent medical attention. 🦠 RSV is spiking across the country…it causes inflammation and clogs the tiniest airways in a child’s lungs. ‼️ Swelling + mucus = less airflow, so babies have to work harder to breathe. And RSV also causes a lot of congestion, and babies don’t know how to breathe through their mouths yet, so they continue to breathe through clogged noses, they will refuse to eat because they cannot breathe, and they will eventually end up with trouble breathing. 🚑 Signs of difficulty breathing = go to the ER - Pulling in around the ribs or collarbone - Flaring nostrils - Head bobbing - Belly breathing - Noisy breathing or grunting - Fast or labored breathing - Trouble talking, crying or feeding - Pale or bluish lips - Child looks anxious or tired 
❗This is not a ‘watch and wait’ symptom. Do not pass go, do not collect $200…Go to the ER! ✅ Save & share this with other parents! ❓Would you recognize this as an emergency — or think it could wait until morning? Let us know in the comments! ⬇️ #sickkids #pediatricemergency #rsv #pediatrics #babymom Thank you to this brave smart Mama for sharing this video, she will help so many other parents recognize what difficulty breathing looks like! Content is for entertainment & educational purposes only & should not be regarded as medical advice or substitute for the advice of a medical professional. The views expressed in this post are ours alone and do not represent those of our employers.

Supraclavicular retractions are a visible sign that someone is working hard to breathe. They happen when the airway is narrowed or blocked, forcing the body to generate more negative pressure to pull air in. This can signal serious distress, especially in young children. VC: @mckinsea #medical #health #healthtips #retractions #respiratorydistress #airway #pediatrics

Not all retractions mean the same thing and where you see them matters. In pediatric respiratory distress, retractions are a visible sign of increased work of breathing. As children struggle to generate negative pressure, compliant chest walls pull inward at specific points: • Intercostal (between ribs) → early distress, increased effort • Subcostal (under ribs) → diaphragmatic fatigue, worsening work • Suprasternal / Supraclavicular → upper airway obstruction or severe distress • Tracheal tug → high negative pressure, critical effort • Nasal flaring → compensatory attempt to reduce airway resistance 🚑 What’s causing it? • Lower airway disease → bronchiolitis, asthma • Upper airway obstruction → croup, epiglottitis, foreign body • Lung pathology → pneumonia, pulmonary edema • Metabolic compensation → acidosis driving tachypnea The deeper and more widespread the retractions, the closer you are to failure. Retractions aren’t just a finding—they’re a warning. #ems #paramedic #firstresponder #emergencymedicine #pediatrics

With all the respiratory illness we are already seeing (including the #mycoplasma #pneumonia), I thought a STEP BY STEP “how to assess breathing” video would be helpful! 😜 good one to save for when you need it (and to share!) WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO FOR THE THREE STEPS YOU SHOULD KNOW. Obviously, if you’re concerned, you need to seek advice from a medical professional, but knowing the tips in this video can only help make your conversation with them more productive (and help you advocate for your child!) 🚨although these signs and red flags are important, at the end of the day, more goes into a clinical assessment than just numbers. Even if you do not see any of these red flags… ALWAYS TRUST YOUR GUT AND SEEK CARE FOR ANY CONCERNS. Better safe than sorry!🚨 🔸NORMAL RANGES FOR BREATHING (breaths per minute) 0-6mo: 33-57 6-12mo: 30-52 1-3y: 24-46 4-6y: 20-27 6-8y: 18-24 8-12y: 16-22 12-18y: 13-21 (PMID: 21411136) PRO TIPS: 🔸count when your child is calm (not crying) 🔸rates may be lower when sleeping 🔸fever can increase respiratory rates (usually will go down again when fever comes down) #walkingpneumonia #flu #rsv #bronchiolitis #asthma #breathing #respiratoryrate #upperrespiratoryinfection #sickbaby #retractions #croup #influenza

Grunting in a baby/toddler - as a sign of trouble breathing. Yes - this video has a lot going on — this baby has - very rapid breathing - retractions -significant congestion - in addition to the grunting - and a little bit of wheezing. But I wanted to call out grunting here because this video is getting so much traction and grunting can be easily missed. For a video that more specifically goes through the various visual red flag signs more individually, comment SIGNS and I’ll send it! . . . #emergency #doctor #respiratorydistress #infantillness #rsv #parenting #childsafety

⬇️ SAVE THIS LIST FOR LATER This baby had bronchiolitis, most likely RSV, and was admitted to the hospital quickly because this super mom knew the signs. 🚩Nasal flaring 🚩 Retractions 🚩 Head bobbing in young infants 🚩 Rapid breathing 🚩 Periodic breathing or apnea 🚩 Wheezing 🚩 Grunting 🚩 Stridor 🚩 Cyanosis (bluish tint to lips, tongue, or nails) 🚩 Low oxygen saturation (<92%) 🚩 Feeding difficulty 🚩 Lethargy or irritability Know the signs so we can keep our babies safe! ✅Follow for more safety tips so you are aware, prepared and not scared! ➡️Please send to another mom to spread awareness➡️➡️ #healthcare #safety #healthcaretips #health #moms#momshealthcarenavigator Video Credit: ask_the_np_mom

Being able to recognize retractions is key when you are concerned about your child’s breathing and need to speak to a provider on the phone To see retractions : child had to be undressed , facing you and not crying Have you seen this in your child ? #pediatrician #pediatrics #rsv

Many parents often confuse wheezing with noisy breathing, but they’re quite different. 👉 Wheezing is a whistling sound that comes from the chest and usually means the airways are narrowed. The child may show increased breathing effort—like fast breathing, chest retractions, or flaring of the nose. 👉 Noisy breathing, on the other hand, is commonly due to nasal blockage or throat congestion. The sound is more from the upper airways, and the child’s breathing effort is usually normal. ✅ Always get a doctor’s opinion to differentiate correctly and start the right treatment early.😊 #wheezing #chestcongestion #breathingdifficulty

Not everything that looks unusual in a newborn is dangerous—but some signs require immediate action 🚨 ✅ Normal findings: Acrocyanosis (blue hands/feet), milia, vernix, lanugo, caput, periodic breathing 🚨 Abnormal findings: Central cyanosis (blue lips/tongue), grunting, nasal flaring, retractions, bulging fontanel, poor feeding 💡 Quick NCLEX tip: 👉 Blue hands & feet = normal (monitor) 👉 Blue lips & tongue = EMERGENCY (act fast) 🧠 Always assess airway, breathing, circulation first—especially in newborns. Save this for exams and clinicals—you’ll definitely see this tested 🔥 #QlexNursing #NCLEXPrep #NursingStudents #NewbornAssessment #PediatricNursing

Comment Nebulizer & I’ll send you a link 🔗 Oliver has been fighting a respiratory infection and we almost had to go to the hospital twice because of his stridor at rest and retractions. I honestly credit my experience with Beau’s 3 hospitalizations last year for knowing what to do in this situation, our amazing pediatrician, and my training as a pediatric psychologist to stay calm and focus on facts. I know it’s hard to stay calm when you see your baby struggling but they need for you to be as calm as possible so they don’t get extra scared from your reactions. This is also a friendly reminder to have videos of your child breathing normally so you know what to compare to when they get sick. Also an at home nebulizer is what kept us from actually going to the hospital twice and I highly suggest this portable one. Thanks for the sweet messages checking up on Oliver 🩷