This baby is in a severe respiratory distress. Severe intercostal space recession (soft tissue pulling in between ribs) in an infant signals significant respiratory distress, meaning the baby's lungs are struggling to get enough air due to blocked airways or lung issues like pneumonia, asthma, or neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), requiring immediate medical attention (like CPAP or a ventilator) because it indicates a high-effort breathing pattern that can quickly lead to respiratory

Rib retractions 👇 Are a visible sign that a baby is having difficulty breathing. This occurs when the skin pulls in between or around the ribs with each breath, indicating that the baby is using extra muscles to breathe. This can be a sign of respiratory distress, often seen in conditions like RSV or the flu. When a baby struggles to breathe, their tiny bodies work harder, making these retractions noticeable. Recognising rib retractions is crucial for parents, as it signals the need for prompt

DID YOU GUESS? ➡️ Intercostal retractions! They occur when the muscles between the ribs (intercostal muscles) pull inward during breathing. This toddler was admitted hours after this video was taken. ‼️Pay attention- the RATE isn’t extremely fast, so some parents could easily miss the distress. ➡️ How else can we tell if our children are struggling to breathe? 🚩Nasal flaring 🚩 Retractions (visible pulling in of chest/neck muscles- look closely in video) 🚩 Head bobbing in young infants 🚩 Rapi