Symptom or finding | Mild | Moderate | Severe |
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General condition | Normal | Normal | Impaired |
Skin colour | Normal | Pale | Pale / cyanotic |
Ability to speak | No problems | Partial sentences | 1-2 words |
Respiratory rate | Normal | >50/min, under 1 year |
>40/min, 1-5 years |
>30/min, over 5 years |
Respiratory distress | None/mild | Moderate | Severe |
Intercostal/suprasternal retraction | Usually not | Moderate | Severe |
Sternocleidomastoid muscle retractions | Usually not | Moderate | Severe |
Auscultation finding | End-expiratory wheeze | Clear expiratory wheeze, possibly also inspiratory | Strong wheezing, crackles/rales or decreased breath sounds |
Inspiratory:expiratory ratio | 2:1 (normal) or 1:1 | 1:2 | 1:3 |
Use of accessory muscles of respiration | None/mild | Obvious | Severe, flaring of the nostrils |
Oxygen saturation | >95% | 90-95% | <90% |
PEF (% of previous personal best) | >70 | 40-70 | Not able to blow |