Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

• As the name says- Acute (sudden onset), Respiratory (breathing) distress (difficulty)
• It is a life-threatening medical condition where the lungs can’t provide enough oxygen for the rest of the body.
• It generally occurs secondary to a pre-existing condition

SYMPTOMS

• Rapid breathing
• Difficulty breathing
• Noisy breathing causing distress
• Drowsy, tired
• Unconsciousness, change in colour

CAUSES OF ARDS

ARDS generally occurs when lungs get filled with fluid. This fluid can be from

• Aspiration (especially children with special needs who aspirate during vomit)
• Heart condition – (in heart failure, the blood pressure in lung circulation increases and fluid leaks into lung)
• Kidney problems( decreased urine output leads to water retention)
• Pneumonia/ Sepsis
• Chest injury
• Drowning

DIAGNOSIS

It’s a clinical diagnosis, assisted with scans and blood tests

• Examination-  fast breathing, noisy breathing, difficulty breathing, drowsy, collapse
• Blood tests to look for infections, oxygen levels
• Chest x-ray/ CT scan of lungs – to look for lung features, heart failure signs

FIRST AID

• Calm the patient
• Put him in recovery position (on his side- if comfortable)
• Call for help (ambulance immediately)
• Don’t give anything by mouth

TREATMENT AT HOSPITAL

When in severe distress, the function of the lung has to be assisted or in severe conditions taken over.

• Assistance by providing oxygen of by small breathing machines( High flow, CPAP)
• Or in severe cases- the child is paralyzed and a lung machine (Ventilator) breaths for a child. A tube is connected from ventilator to the child’s throat through the mouth
• Other medications
  • Reduce the fluid load by passing urine (Diuretics)
  • Treat infections with antibiotics
• Physiotherapy

DANGER SIGNS

• Change in Colour
• Change in Consciousness
• Breathless, Unable To Speak
• Pre-existing Heart Conditions

Neonatal Respiratory distress is a respiratory distress occurring in preterm (babies born earlier than 37-week gestation) due to lack of a chemical in lung( see neonatal RDS section)