Worried About Your Child’s Breathing? When and Where to Seek Help in Australia
If something about your baby, toddler or child’s breathing looks different, it can be difficult to know what to do next.
You might notice your child breathing fast, breathing heavily, appearing to work harder to breathe, breathing differently while sleeping, or having changes in their breathing alongside a cough or fever.
And often the question parents are trying to answer isn’t: “What is causing this?” It’s: “Where should I take my child for help?”
Should you make a GP appointment? Go to a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic? Use a Virtual Emergency Department? Or take your child to an Emergency Department?
This guide focuses specifically on navigating the Australian health system when you are worried about your child’s breathing. It does not diagnose breathing problems or tell you whether your child’s individual symptoms require treatment.
My child is breathing differently — where can I get help?
Parents describe breathing concerns in many different ways.
my child is breathing fast
toddler breathing fast
baby breathing fast
child breathing heavily
child working hard to breathe
child struggling to breathe
child having trouble breathing
child breathing fast while sleeping
child breathing fast with fever
child breathing fast with cough
my child’s breathing doesn’t look right
when should I take my child to hospital for breathing?
You don’t need to work out what is causing the change before contacting a healthcare service.
The challenge is knowing which part of the Australian health system to contact.
My child is breathing fast — who should I contact?
If you have noticed that your baby, toddler or child appears to be breathing faster than usual, there are several places Australian families may be able to seek assessment.
Your GP: A GP can assess your child and determine whether further investigation, treatment or referral is required.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics: These clinics provide care for urgent illnesses and injuries that require attention today but are not considered life-threatening emergencies. Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are bulk billed and do not require a GP referral.
Virtual healthcare services: Depending on where you live, you may have access to a Virtual Emergency Department, virtual paediatric service or other state-based virtual healthcare service.There are also private virtual health services that you can access at a fee cost.
Emergency Departments: Australian Emergency Departments can assess children requiring emergency care. You do not need a GP referral to attend an Emergency Department.
For emergencies, call Triple Zero (000).
My child looks like they are working hard to breathe — where should I go?
Another common concern parents search is: “My child looks like they are working hard to breathe.”
You may also describe it as your child struggling to breathe, breathing heavily, having difficulty breathing or simply not breathing normally.
If you are concerned about a change in your child’s breathing, you don’t need to determine the medical cause yourself before contacting a healthcare service.
If you’re unsure which service is appropriate, see: Should I Take My Child to Hospital, Urgent Care, GP or Virtual ED? This guide explains the different healthcare options available to Australian families and the role each service plays.
My child is breathing fast with a fever or cough
Parents often notice breathing changes while their child is already unwell.
child breathing fast with fever
toddler breathing fast with fever
child breathing fast with cough
baby breathing fast with a cold
When more than one symptom is occurring, online information can quickly become overwhelming.
You don’t need to diagnose the illness yourself before contacting a healthcare professional.
If fever is also one of your concerns, you can read: Baby Fever: When Should You Take Your Child to Hospital? How Virtual ED Can Help You Decide.
My child is breathing fast while sleeping
Another situation that can leave parents unsure about what to do is noticing that their baby or child appears to be breathing differently while sleeping.
child breathing fast while sleeping
toddler breathing fast while sleeping
baby breathing fast when asleep
child breathing heavily at night
Rather than trying to determine the cause from Google searches alone, you can contact an appropriate healthcare service if you are concerned about a change in your child.
Depending on your circumstances and location, options may include a GP, Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, available virtual healthcare service or Emergency Department.
GP, Urgent Care, Virtual ED or Emergency?
GP
Your GP is often an important first point of contact for childhood health concerns and can organise further treatment, investigation or referral where required.
However, accessing a same-day appointment can sometimes be difficult, particularly after hours or on weekends.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinic
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics sit between general practice and hospital Emergency Departments.
They provide bulk-billed care for urgent illnesses and injuries that require attention today but are not considered life-threatening emergencies.
No referral is required.
Virtual Emergency Department or virtual healthcare
Some Australian states and health services provide virtual healthcare options that allow families to speak with healthcare professionals remotely.
Eligibility, opening hours and services vary depending on where you live.
Virtual services can be particularly useful when the question you are struggling with is: “Does my child need to be seen somewhere in person?” or “is this an emergency or can it wait until tomorrow”. If you are asking yourself these questions, you can read more about my lived experience of using Virtual ED services here and how this has helped me to feel confident in knowing how to act and the best course of action for my children.
Emergency Department
Emergency Departments provide assessment and treatment for emergency medical problems.
You do not need a GP referral to take your child to an Emergency Department.
One piece of information that always sticks in my mind is that “parental concern” is a valid tool for assessing a baby or child’s health and potential deterioration. So even if you don’t really know or can’t really articulate why you are concerned for your child, a trip to the emergency department can be the most appropriate option. Numerous times I have had to take one of my children to the emergency department for various reasons. Every time, I have been met with calm empathetic reassurance that I made the right decision to attend the Emergency department. “That’s what we are here for” the emergency doctors would say to me. So if you are worried, don’t hesitate to go. If nothing else you will gain re-assurance and a better understanding of what you should look for.
For emergencies, call Triple Zero (000).
What if I can’t get a GP appointment?
This is where navigating the Australian health system can become particularly frustrating.
Your GP is booked out.
It’s after hours.
It’s the weekend.
You can’t find another GP accepting appointments.
This doesn’t necessarily mean your only remaining option is to wait for your usual GP.
Depending on your location and circumstances, you may be able to access a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, another GP service, an available virtual healthcare service or an Emergency Department.
The Australian Government provides an online Medicare Urgent Care Clinic finder, and Healthdirect can also help Australians locate healthcare services.
What if my child has already seen a GP but their breathing has changed?
This is an important healthcare-navigation situation.
Perhaps your child was assessed earlier in the day but now you are thinking: “Something has changed.” Or: “My child seems worse than when the doctor saw them.”
child getting worse after seeing GP
child breathing worse after seeing doctor
child still sick after seeing doctor
doctor said viral but child getting worse
when should I take my child back to the doctor?
An earlier medical assessment doesn’t prevent you from seeking healthcare again if the situation has changed or you remain concerned.
For more information, read: My Child Is Getting Worse But We Already Saw a GP: What To Do Next (Australia Guide).
What if my child was sent home from Emergency but I’m still worried?
Another difficult situation occurs when your child has already been assessed in an Emergency Department and you notice something different after returning home.
child sent home from hospital still sick
child worse after Emergency Department
can I take my child back to Emergency?
when should I go back to hospital with my child?
You don’t need permission from the previous treating team to seek another healthcare assessment.
It can also be helpful to keep the discharge paperwork you were given, as this may include follow-up information and instructions from the treating team about seeking further assessment.
What if my child is already in hospital and I’m worried about their breathing?
Sometimes parents notice a change while their child is already receiving hospital care.
If you are worried that your child’s breathing or overall condition has changed, tell their treating nurse or doctor about your concern.
Australian hospitals also have systems that allow patients, parents and carers to escalate concerns when they believe someone in hospital is getting worse.
These processes vary between hospitals and states.
Read: What to Do If Your Child Is Getting Worse in Hospital: An Australian Parent’s Guide to Being Heard.
You don’t have to diagnose the problem before seeking help
Google can be extremely useful when you are trying to understand the healthcare options available to you.
But when you are worried about your child, it can also lead you through an endless list of possible diagnoses.
If you are searching: “Why is my child breathing fast?” you may actually be trying to answer a different question: “Does someone need to assess my child, and where can I get that assessment?”
You don’t need to know the diagnosis before contacting a healthcare service.
The bottom line
If you are worried about your child’s breathing, navigating the Australian health system can feel confusing — particularly when you are trying to choose between a GP, Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, Virtual Emergency Department or hospital Emergency Department.
Your child may be breathing fast, breathing heavily, breathing differently while sleeping, working harder to breathe, or you may simply feel that something has changed.
You don’t need to work out the cause yourself before contacting a healthcare service.
And if your child has already been assessed but you remain concerned or their situation has changed, you can seek healthcare again.
Important: Navigate Child Health Australia provides health-system navigation information for Australian families. This information is general in nature and is not medical advice, does not assess your child’s individual symptoms and should not be used to determine whether your child requires medical treatment. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
