Question
What’s causing my newborn’s rapid breathing while sleeping?
Answer
Your child may have neonatal pneumonia. Newborns and infants have underdeveloped cough reflexes, so it’s not as common for them to exhibit a clear cough like older children when they have pneumonia. Rapid breathing and the whistling sound you mentioned (which could be due to phlegm in the throat) are among the symptoms of neonatal or infantile pneumonia. In addition to this, you should also be vigilant for other potential issues in your child.