The number all parents need to remember: 50 breaths per minute in children with colds

He recommends that parents monitor their children’s breathing rate; if it exceeds 50 breaths per minute, they should seek medical attention at a hospital. This guideline was shared on the Virtual Children’s Hospital page.

Dr. Craiu posted on Facebook: „The first relevant number for seasonal illnesses that present with fever and cough is 50 breaths per minute. Please remember this number.” He elaborated on when parents should consider taking their children to the hospital for colds.

50 breaths per minute

„If a small child with a cold is experiencing respiratory distress and has a breathing rate of more than 50 breaths per minute, you must go to the hospital. However, if the child only has a runny nose, cough, and fever that subsides after taking fever reducers, it is better to wait 2-3 days while ensuring they stay hydrated and their nose is cleared (if they are a baby without any pre-existing conditions),” Dr. Craiu stated.

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This is not the first time Dr. Craiu has provided such guidance. He has previously mentioned on social media that „it takes more than two days from the onset of a cold with fever for changes to appear in the blood count.” This implies that visiting a crowded emergency room is unnecessary if a „normal” cold has just begun. Furthermore, there is a higher risk of contracting additional infections from contact with other children in the hospital.

It is not advisable to spend 5-6 hours next to other sick children

„Dear parents, it is not advisable to spend 5-6 hours next to other sick children simply because of fear or because you have travel plans for tomorrow or an important event. If your child has had a fever for 4, 6, or 12 hours, there will not be any significant changes in their white blood cell count during this time—this is true for healthy children without other health issues! Additionally, the correlation with C-reactive protein (CRP) values does not provide any extra information in the first 1-2 days. You may end up leaving the emergency room with another illness contracted from one of the 20 sick children waiting in the triage area,” Dr. Craiu emphasized.

In conclusion, a visit to the emergency room is only necessary for children who have a fever accompanied by other serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, frequent vomiting, cyanosis, or impaired consciousness.

„During these times, only go to the emergency room with a child who exhibits a fever and other serious symptoms, provided your child is generally healthy! A doctor can only provide meaningful information through a clinical examination. Routine tests may not yield useful results initially as they might be performed too quickly,” Dr. Craiu advised.