Children Ages 4 And Younger Account For About 10 Percent
of the 115 million emergency room visits a year often for respiratory illness and fever.
Respiratory infections can lead to unbearable symptoms like breathing problems and pain in your chest, throat, and sinuses. What’s even harder to bear is a child in respiratory distress – they can’t breathe, eat, or sleep because they’re congested. All you want is to to make them feel better.That’s why we do what we do: to make our patients feel better.Not only are we ER doctors and nurses with the proper resources and medication—but we are mothers, fathers, and patients just like you that know exactly what you’re going through. There’s nothing more we want than for you or your child get back to full strength.
Breathe a Sigh of Relief with Hospitality Health ER
From young to old, Hospitality Health ER has brought relief to hundreds of children and adults with upper and lower respiratory infections including RSV, asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis. Both of our emergency rooms in Tyler and Longview are highly rated and staffed by experienced ER doctors. Especially in Texas, where we see a lot of patients struggling with asthma during allergy season when pollen, spores, and ragweed take flight, Hospitality Health ER is able to conduct a full observation, provide multiple breathing treatments, and monitor patients overnight to ensure they are stabilized before they go home.
For babies and children, seek immediate care if you notice
- • Your baby is too weak to eat.
- • Your baby’s soft spot on his or her head is bulging outward or sunken inward.
- • Your child shows discomfort or abnormal behavior with an increase in body temperature.
- • Your child has trouble breathing or is breathing faster than usual.
- • Your child’s heart is beating much faster than usual.
- • Your child’s lips or nails turn blue.
- • Your child’s nostrils flare when he or she takes a breath.
- • The skin above or below your child’s ribs is sucked in with each breath.
- • You see larger reddish-purple dots or small speckles on your child’s skin.
- • Your child stops urinating or urinates less than usual.
- • Your child has a severe headache or stiff neck.
- • Your child has chest or stomach pain.
Respiratory infections symptoms that may require medical attention
- • Difficulty swallowing
- • Difficulty breathing
- • Dizziness
- • Low blood oxygen level
- • Loss of consciousness
- • Loss of hearing
- • Wheezing
- • Blood in sputum
- • Severe Onset of Fever
- • Chill
- • Cough or nasal discharge that won’t go away
- • Loss of voice
- • Swelling of tonsi
- • Facial pain and headaches
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are any infection of the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs. They’re usually caused by viruses, but can also be caused by bacteria. Upper respiratory tract infections affect the nose, sinuses and throat while lower respiratory tract infections affect the airways and lungs
Upper respiratory tract infections (URI) are the most common acute illness evaluated in the outpatient setting. Upper respiratory infections include, but are not limited to, allergies, asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, the common cold, tonsillitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, and the flu. Symptoms include cough, headaches, a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and muscle aches. Lower respiratory tract infections include, but are not limited to the flu, allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiolitis, and tuberculosis.
It all really depends on your age, your health, and what you’re doing to get better. Are you getting enough rest and liquids to help you recover quickly? The symptoms of an upper RTI usually pass in one to two weeks. Lower respiratory infections, like bronchitis and pneumonia, may take a little longer to pass—about two to three weeks on average. Older or immunocompromised patients may take longer to heal. The sooner you get treatment, the better your chances are for a faster recovery.
Germs and contaminants are all around us—on faucet handles, door knobs, surfaces, and even in the air. You can never be fully guarded against respiratory infections. But you can reduce the likelihood of catching them:
- Wash your hands with soap and warm water frequently, especially if you’re around a lot of sick people or preparing food, eating, taking medications or breathing treatments; and immediately after coughing, sneezing, or using the bathroom.
- Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth.
- Reduce your exposure to chemicals, smoke from wildfires, and pollution.
- Exercise regularly to keep your immune system strong.
- Have your children vaccinated.
FAQ Section – Respiratory Infections
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