Pediatric Breathing Problem Doctor in Dubai

When your child breathes with a whistle, a rattle or an open mouth, it is hard to think about anything else. You may wonder if it is just a cold, an allergy or something that needs a doctor today. If you are looking for a pediatric breathing problem doctor in Dubai, this guide will help you understand what you are hearing and when to act.

Dr. Muhammad Jabbr is a Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at Medcare Hospital Al Safa. He treats adults and children, and he is one of the best choices in Dubai when a child's breathing problem starts in the nose or throat. Below, we look at daytime problems: mouth breathing, a blocked nose, noisy breathing, croup and objects that get stuck. We also list the signs that mean you should not wait.

What do the different breathing sounds mean?

Children's airways are small, so a little swelling or mucus changes how they sound. The type of noise is a clue to where the problem is.

Snuffling, snorting or a snore-like sound while awake: comes from the nose or the back of the throat. A cold, allergy, or large adenoids or tonsils are common reasons.
Stridor: a high-pitched, harsh sound, mostly when your child breathes in. It comes from the voice box or windpipe and always needs a doctor's check.
Wheeze: a musical whistle, mostly when breathing out. It usually comes from the small airways in the chest, as in asthma. Your pediatrician is the first person to see for this.

ENT doctors deal with the nose, throat and voice box. The lungs are usually your pediatrician's area.

Why is my child breathing through the mouth during the day?

Children are meant to breathe through the nose. If your child keeps the mouth open while playing or reading, the nose is often not letting enough air through. During a cold this is normal. If it lasts for weeks, get it checked.

Allergic rhinitis: dust mites, pets and pollen can cause a runny, itchy, blocked nose. Our page on allergic rhinitis in children explains more.
Enlarged adenoids: this tissue behind the nose can block it when large. Read more about enlarged adenoids in children.
Repeated colds or an injury: these can keep the nose swollen or narrowed.

Over time, mouth breathing may cause a dry mouth, bad breath, tiredness and changes in tooth position. Our guide to mouth breathing in children covers these effects.

A blocked nose on one side only is a special case. If one nostril runs with smelly or green discharge for days, especially in a toddler, a small object may be stuck inside. Please do not try to dig it out at home. See our page on nose blockage in children for other causes.

Noisy breathing, stridor and croup: what should parents watch for?

Noisy breathing in babies

Some babies make a squeaky noise when breathing in from the first weeks of life. A common reason is a soft, floppy voice box, called laryngomalacia. The noise is often louder during feeds or crying. It usually settles as the baby grows, mostly by the age of 1 to 2 years. Your baby should still be checked. See a doctor sooner if feeding is hard or weight gain is poor. Pauses in breathing or blue spells need urgent care.

Croup in young children

Croup is a viral infection that swells the voice box and windpipe. It is most common between 6 months and 3 years. Signs include:

a barking cough, like a seal
a hoarse voice or cry
stridor, which may be worse when your child is upset
a mild fever and a runny nose at the start

Mild croup often settles in a few days. Keep your child calm and upright, and offer drinks. A doctor may give steroid medicine to reduce the swelling. Go to the emergency department straight away if your child has stridor while resting, the skin pulls in between the ribs, or your child looks pale, tired or blue.

Croup that keeps coming back, or noisy breathing that does not settle, needs an ENT review.

What if my child has inhaled or swallowed something?

Nuts, grapes, popcorn, small toy parts and coins are easy for young children to breathe in or swallow. The warning sign is often a sudden choking or coughing fit while eating or playing, even if your child seems fine after.

If your child can cough, cry or talk: let them keep coughing and stay close. Do not put your fingers in their mouth. Once it settles, get them checked the same day.
If your child cannot breathe, cry or speak: call 998 for an ambulance and start choking first aid right away.
Button batteries and magnets: if you think your child has swallowed one, go to the emergency department at once, even with no symptoms. They can cause harm within hours.

An object left in the airway can cause a cough or wheeze that does not clear, or chest infections that keep coming back. When an object in the airway or food pipe needs to come out, this is usually done in hospital under a general anaesthetic, using a thin telescope.

Emergency red flags: when to go to hospital now

Call 998 or go to the nearest emergency department if your child:

is working hard to breathe, with the skin sucking in at the neck or between the ribs
has blue or grey lips, or very pale skin
makes a high-pitched noise while resting quietly
cannot swallow, is drooling and wants to sit leaning forward
is unusually sleepy, floppy or hard to wake
has a high fever with a very sore throat or a swollen neck
may have breathed in or swallowed an object or a battery

Our page on ENT emergencies in children covers other urgent problems.

How does a pediatric breathing problem doctor in Dubai check your child?

Most checks are quick and gentle. A scope may feel odd for a few seconds.

Talking with you: when it started, allergies, feeding and any choking episode. A phone video of the noise helps a lot.
Looking and listening: watching your child breathe and checking the nose and throat.
Nasal endoscopy, if needed: a thin camera gently shows the back of the nose and the adenoids.
Looking at the voice box: with stridor, a flexible scope shows how the voice box moves.
Other tests when useful: an X-ray, allergy tests or, in a few children, a closer airway check under general anaesthetic.

What treatment options are there?

Treatment depends on the cause.

Home care: saline drops, fluids and less dust and smoke.
Allergy care: avoiding triggers, plus nasal sprays or antihistamines suited to your child's age.
Prescribed medicines: steroid medicine for croup. Antibiotics are used only if bacteria are the likely cause.
Removing an object: one in the nose can often come out in clinic. One in the airway or food pipe is removed in theatre.
Surgery: only when other steps have not helped, for example removing large adenoids. A small number of babies with a very floppy voice box, who struggle to feed or grow, need a small operation on it.

You can then decide on the next step together.

Who will see your child at Medcare Hospital Al Safa?

Consultant ENT and Head & Neck Surgeon at the ENT Department, Medcare Hospital, Al Safa, Dubai.
Qualifications: MD, MS, DOHNS (England), European Board ORL-HNS and Arab Board ORL-HNS.
More than 20 years of experience and more than 3,000 ENT procedures.
Treats both adults and children.
A Google rating of 4.9 from 406 reviews.

You can read more about his ENT care for children in Dubai.

Book an appointment

If your child's breathing worries you but there are no emergency signs, book a visit with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr at Medcare Hospital Al Safa, Hadiqa Street, Al Safa 1, Dubai.

Book online with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr or call +971 52 751 7811.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does steam help a child with croup?

Studies have not shown that steam or humid air helps croup, and hot steam can cause burns. Keeping your child calm and upright works better. Steroid medicine from a doctor is the main treatment.

Is it normal for my baby to breathe noisily?

Mild snuffling is common in babies because their nasal passages are small. A squeaky noise when breathing in, trouble feeding, poor weight gain or pauses in breathing should be checked by a doctor.

How can I tell croup from a normal cough?

Croup usually causes a barking, seal-like cough, a hoarse voice and sometimes a harsh noise when breathing in. A normal cold cough does not usually have these features.

My child choked on a nut but now seems fine. Should I still go to hospital?

Yes. A piece of food can move into the airway and cause problems later. Even if your child looks well, please have them checked the same day.

Can daytime mouth breathing get better without an operation?

Yes, in many children. Saline, allergy care and nasal sprays often help. Removing large adenoids is considered only when the blockage continues and affects your child's health.

Conclusion

Most breathing noises in children have simple causes, such as a cold, an allergy or large adenoids. Struggling to breathe, blue lips, stridor at rest or a possible inhaled object need urgent care. For mouth breathing, a blocked nose or noisy breathing that lasts, a calm ENT check with Dr. Muhammad Jabbr can find the cause and the right next step.