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IF you're a parent, your phone is probably full of photos and videos you've taken of your little one.
And while it's nice to look back at happy memories, one expert has said that your camera roll could actually help spot signs of a life-threatening condition.
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Posting to the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page, first aid guru Nikki Jurcutz said there are two simple steps every parent must take to help spot the signs of respiratory distress.
The first, is to take a 30-second video of your child breathing on your phone, so you have a record on what's normal for your little one.
"You can then use this video if your child ever gets sick, and you need to identify if their breathing is worsening," she said.
Sharing a video of a child struggling to breathe, Nikki urged parents to save the example, to act as a helpful comparison.
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That way, if your child is poorly and you're concerned about their breathing, you can take a new video and compare it to both the first one - showing their normal - and Tiny Hearts' video of a child in distress.
Nikki said that these assessments can help you detect if something is seriously wrong.
She said key warning signs include if they are sucking in at their ribs, if their head is bobbing or if they are sucking in at the throat, also known as tracheal tug.
CAUSES OF BREATHING PROBLEMS
Types of respiratory distress include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and NRDS.
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In some cases, RSV can become life threatening, the American Lung Association states.
Some children under two, especially those born prematurely or with a heart condition, can suffer more serious consequences.
RSV, which has been rife this winter, can develop into bronchiolitis, an inflammatory infection of the lower airways which can make it hard to breathe.
Bronchiolitis usually clears up on it’s own after around two weeks, and you can care for your child at home the same way as you would if they had a cold.
But up to three per cent of babies who develop bronchiolitis during the first year of life will need to be admitted to hospital.
The NHS says: “Around one in three children in the UK will develop bronchiolitis during their first year of life. It most commonly affects babies between three and six months of age.
“By the age of two, almost all infants will have been infected with RSV and up to half will have had bronchiolitis.”
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold but can develop over a few days into a high temperature of 37.8C or above (fever), a dry and persistent cough, difficulty feeding, rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing).
The NHS states that newborn respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) is a serious condition where a newborn baby's lungs cannot provide their body with enough oxygen.
Studies have previously revealed that the condition is the leading cause of death in premature infants, with the risk increasing depending on how premature they were.
The NHS states that it occurs when a baby's lungs are not fully developed and cannot provide enough oxygen, causing breathing difficulties. It usually affects premature babies.
It's also known as infant respiratory distress syndrome, hyaline membrane disease or surfactant deficiency lung disease, the experts said.
The key symptoms to look out for are:
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- blue-coloured lips, fingers and toes
- rapid, shallow breathing
- flaring nostrils
- a grunting sound when breathing
If you're not in hospital when you give birth and notice the symptoms of NRDS in your baby, call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance, the NHS states.