What causes frequent gasping in infants?
Patient: My son is 5, and over the past 5 days he s begun gasping for breath only while sitting. He s able to run and lay normally and I don t notice this breathing while he s sleeping. But I am concerned that when he sits still while playing games, coloring, watching movies, etc. he repetitively takes deep breaths, saying he has to . I took him to a pediatrician last week to rule out asthma, which he did. 4 days later it seems to be getting more pronounced. What could it be? He has environmental allergies, but generally very healthy: and is about 39 lbs. Doctor: HiWelcome to the HCMI have gone through your question and understand  your concerns. The symptoms of breathlessness only while sitting and not during physical activity, sleep and other times is most likely due to functional disorders. If he is normal on clinical examination by a pediatrician, then I would recommend you to ignore the symptoms. Most cases settle down with in a few days. If it persist, then visit a psychotherapist for proper evaluation and management.Take care