Respiratory rate is measured by the number of breaths a person takes in one minute. Since many factors can influence the result, it is important to carry out the measurement according to all the rules. The person should be at rest for at least 10 minutes. It is desirable that the patient does not know that someone is counting the number of breaths, because a person is such that he is unnatural if he knows that he is being watched. This may cause measurement results to be inaccurate. In hospitals, quite often, nurses, under the guise of measuring the pulse, count the number of breaths, observing how rib cage and .
An increased respiratory rate is a symptom of the following conditions: fever, dehydration, acidosis, lung disease, asthma, pre-infarction, drug overdose (such as aspirin or amphetamine), panic attack
Respiration rate
Children take more breaths than adults, just as women breathe faster than men. However, there are average respiratory rates for different age groups. Newborns aged 1 to 12 months take 30-60 breaths per minute, children 1-2 years old - 24-40 breaths, children preschool age(3-5 years old) - 22-34 breaths, schoolchildren (6-12 years old) - 18-30 breaths. For 13 to 17 years old, the normal breathing rate is 12-16 breaths per minute, and 12-18 breaths.
What does the respiration rate indicate?
The number of breaths in a one-minute interval indicates how often the brain sends signals to the lungs to breathe. If the level of oxygen in the blood falls or the level of carbon dioxide, then the brain reacts to this. For example, with a severe infection, the content of carbon dioxide in the blood increases, while oxygen remains at normal level... The brain responds to the situation and sends a signal to the lungs. Here, seriously ill people breathe often.
Slow breathing is a symptom of the following conditions: narcotic or alcoholic intoxication, metabolic disorder, apnea, stroke or brain injury
There are situations when the system of such communication does not work well. For example, when a person is in a drug or or if the part of the brain responsible for respiratory function... Both increased and slowed down breathing rhythm indicates that something is wrong with health. If we are not talking about breathing disorders due to physical activity(bending, fast step, lifting weights), then these symptoms must be reported to the doctor.
Respiratory rate is an indicator of health. The norm of NPV in children, a table with the value of this indicator for different ages, as well as the results of the examination will help the doctor identify various deviations in the child.
- their anatomical narrowness;
- relatively short length;
- presence of tender inner surface with a large number vessels that carry blood and lymph.
- it is poorly developed;
- small lungs;
- a significant number of vessels.
- 1. This is a simple procedure that does not require any special skills. To complete it, you need to take a stopwatch or a watch with a second hand.
- 2. During the measurement, the patient should be in a calm state, in a comfortable position. In very young children, it is better to count breaths in a dream or with the maximum distraction of the baby from the procedure.
- 3. It is important to remember that HR and HR (respiratory rate, pulse) in children under one year old are 2-3 times higher than in adults.
- 4. For the study, the hand is placed on the anterior abdominal wall, or the frequency of breaths is visually assessed.
- 5. Counting should be done for one minute. This is due to the rhythmic breathing cycle.
- 6. For greater accuracy of counting, it is recommended to carry out three studies, calculating the average.
- chest;
- abdominal;
- mixed.
- there was a loss of consciousness;
- pallor of the skin, mucous membranes;
- arrhythmic pulse;
- lips turned blue nasolabial triangle, fingertips;
- increased duration of sleep apnea;
- episodes of apnea became more frequent.
- do not put the baby to sleep on the back;
- mom needs to master the basic technique of provoking inhalation with a simple massage;
- you should know how to stimulate breathing with spray of cold water.
- cold;
- flu;
- false croup;
- bronchitis;
- cardiac pathology.
- 1. Pneumonia, other infections - disturbed breathing against the background of gurgling, whistling, wheezing sounds very often signals a problem. It is important to see a specialist to diagnose the condition. Pneumonia in small children can very often be asymptomatic, and changes in respiratory movements are very important for diagnosis.
- 2. High temperature. At the same time, the frequency, rhythm of inhalation and exhalation of air changes. Shortness of breath may also join.
- 3. False croup. The baby has a frequent, hacking cough, noisy breathing, and its frequency increases.
- 4. Obstructive bronchitis is manifested by attacks of frequent, deep chest excursions, shortness of breath.
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Respiratory system function
At each inspection children's doctor conducts a complex mandatory procedures, measurements. Counting breaths per minute is one of them. This simple indicator carries tremendous information about the condition. respiratory system child, about the work of the cardiac system. The respiration rate can be counted independently. But dealing with the resulting values is much more difficult. The rate of respiration in children differs from adult standards. It's connected with anatomical features the structure of the child's body.
The baby's first breath occurs at his first cry. Until this moment, all of him respiratory organs not active. They develop, grow with the baby in the womb. Oxygenation occurs directly through the placenta from the mother's blood to the baby's blood.
The uniqueness of the upper respiratory tract child (nasal passages):
Therefore, minimal catarrhal manifestations will necessarily develop into swelling of the nasal mucosa, blockage of the lumen of the nasal passages. Per a short time shortness of breath, attacks of respiratory distress develop (small children cannot breathe through the mouth).
Features of lung tissue in children:
Counting methods
Respiratory movement counting method:
Research Objective
Respiratory rate and pulse are required for each examination. They are very useful, important for assessing the health of the baby. He will not be able to explain what exactly hurts. And a violation of the rhythm, frequency of respiratory movements can sometimes be the only symptoms pathology.
When examining, the baby should be calm. It is impossible for him to jump, crawl, spin. You should not count when the baby is nervous, crying, screaming. This can significantly increase the value of the indicator.
In infants, the NPV is calculated during their rest or sleep.
Be sure to count your breaths for a minute. In newborns, infants, breathing is often arrhythmic. Therefore, the most reliable information can be obtained in this way. Due to the fact that in small children the movements of the chest, diaphragms are pronounced, there will be no need to use additional devices or to touch the baby.
Normative indicators
More than one table has been compiled that allows you to accurately determine the rate of the child's respiratory movements per minute. It is compiled by age, since in different ages breathing rate changes slightly. The indicator is higher than younger child... Gradually, with age, the frequency decreases. At approximately 14-15 years of age, the rate of respiration is equal to that of an adult in frequency. Gender does not affect breathing rate in any way.
In children and adults, there are three main types of breathing:
O chest breathing they say when inhalation and exhalation to a greater extent occur due to the movement of the walls of the chest. This type is more characteristic of the fairer sex. Its disadvantage is that it is a shallow type of breathing. In this case, the lower parts of the lungs are poorly ventilated.
In the abdominal type, breathing is carried out at the expense of the diaphragm (it is visually noticeable how the anterior abdominal wall). With such breathing, they suffer from hypoventilation. upper sections lungs. This type is often inherent in males.
With mixed breathing, there is a uniform movement of the chest in all its directions. It is considered the most correct type of breathing, in which full ventilation of all departments occurs. lung tissue... The respiratory rate in a healthy adult is 16-20 movements per minute. In a newborn baby, this figure is 60 breaths per minute.
Increase value
Tachypnea indicates a pathology of the respiratory system, which is accompanied by a cough, runny nose and wheezing. With an increase in body temperature, the frequency of respiration and pulse may increase (this is especially often observed in children).
If there are no health problems, then an increase in the frequency of respiratory movements can mean one thing: the baby breathes shallowly, and the lungs are not sufficiently ventilated. Holding your breath during sleep is sleep apnea. This condition is often observed in infants during sleep (their physiological feature). It manifests itself in short-term episodes of respiratory arrest up to 10-15 minutes.
Ambulance health care required in the following cases:
It is especially important for parents of premature babies to know what measures to take in case of apnea. Here are some guidelines:
What is periodic breathing, is it dangerous?
Periodic breathing (Cheyne-Stokes syndrome) is a pathological type in which breathing is at first rare, shallow. Then it goes into rapid and deep breathing. After the peak frequency, it again becomes rare and superficial, then there is a short-term delay. Such breathing is typical for premature babies.
According to modern doctors, such breathing in itself does not pose a danger to the health or life of the baby. It only speaks of the incomplete formation of nerve impulses in the cerebral cortex. Within a month, it evens out a little. And after a year it passes altogether. If such breathing arose abruptly against the background of complete well-being, this is a signal of the presence pathological process in the brain, the situation requires an immediate examination by a doctor.
Development of pathology
Critical tachypnea is an increase in respiratory rate by 20% or more of the age norm. This happens with various ailments:
Often, rapid breathing occurs along with shortness of breath or puffing of the baby. Bradypnea is a rare breath. Children infancy it is extremely rare. You can talk about pathology when the frequency has decreased by 20% or more from age norms... This may be the first sign of meningitis developing.
The reasons for the development of pathological breathing:
The respiratory process becomes more frequent with physical activity, different emotional state baby. He begins to breathe quickly when excited, serious hobby for something. This is a physiological reaction of the body that does not require diagnosis and treatment.
In older children, respiratory movements are completely dependent on the degree of load. When running, jumping, walking fast, during outdoor games, it should accelerate. If this does not happen, it is imperative to be examined by a doctor.
Parents should periodically monitor the frequency of their child's chest excursions. It is especially important to do this in newborn babies and babies up to one year old, since many ailments are asymptomatic in them. Only a change in indicators can signal an early stage of pathology.
One of critical indicators the work of the child's heart, along with blood pressure, is the heart rate. Heart rate shows how many times per minute the heart muscle contracts. The pulse in children is constantly measured, since it is used to determine how the baby develops and what is his general condition.
Another indicator that gives important information about the state of health and is always under the control of pediatricians, is the respiratory rate - the frequency of respiratory movements. According to this indicator, doctors determine what kind of breathing the baby has (chest, abdominal), assess the capacity of the abdominal wall and chest, rhythm and depth of breathing, deviations from the norm.
These indicators depend on age and their values decrease with the growth of the child.
Heart rate norms in children
Normal heart rate values in childhood significantly differ from those in adults. The heartbeat in children has its own characteristics and is not the same at different ages.
The average values of heart rate in children by age are presented in the table below.
Deviations from the norm
If the pulse is too fast
If the heart rate exceeds the norm, the reasons may be as follows:
- hot weather;
- stressful situation.
In these cases, the pulse can become more frequent three times, while this is not a pathology. A child's heart palpitations can also be at rest. Main reasons:
- prostration;
- overwork;
- heart diseases;
- endocrine diseases;
- respiratory diseases;
- anemia;
- infectious lesions.
If the pulse is too slow
If the state of health is normal and no pathologies were found, a rare pulse indicates good fitness.
But bradycardia can be associated with pathologies and be accompanied by unpleasant symptoms. If the baby complains of dizziness, weakness, loss of strength, while he has increased or decreased blood pressure, it is necessary to show it to the doctor as soon as possible.
What to look for
If the child plays sports, you need to monitor the heart rate during exercise. It is important that during training, the heart rate does not exceed the maximum acceptable values, which are calculated using the formula: 220 minus age.
You should know that the pulse should return to normal within ten minutes after the cessation of the load.
If the heart rate is below this limit, the load can be increased.
Measurement Algorithm
You will need a watch with a second hand or a stopwatch to perform the test. The difficulty in determining the pulse is that it is constantly changing. To measure heart rate, you need to find an artery on the wrist, temple or neck, lightly press it with your finger. There should be a pulsation of blood under the finger. You need to count the number of pushes in ten or 15 seconds, then multiply the resulting value, respectively, by six or four. Thus, the pulse is determined, which in most cases is equal to the heart rate. Now you need to compare the figure obtained with the indicators in the table, according to age. You should know that normally the pulsation should be rhythmic and clear.
Measurements must be taken continuously and preferably at the same time. Doctors advise doing this in the morning, when the child is still in bed in a supine position. You can not measure heart rate after active games or emotional stress, when the heart rate increases. In this case, the result will be distorted.
If the received data is significantly different from normal performance given in the table, you need to consult a doctor to be examined and find out the cause of the deviations.
You can measure heart rate not only manually, but also using special devices that are available in pharmacies.
Finally
By constantly measuring the child's pulse, you can monitor his health and know if he is developing correctly. Calculation of heart rate makes it possible to find out about deviations in time and quickly start treatment.
Breathing is a physiological marker of the state of our body. As adults, we don't pay attention to him special attention, it's another matter if it's a child or a newborn baby.
Any child is exposed to the difficulties inherent in his age. A runny nose, colds, bronchopulmonary diseases at this age often develop imperceptibly, because the baby often cannot say that something bothers him or hurts somewhere.
However, many diseases can be detected even at early stages if you pay attention to the baby's breathing.
Features of the process in children
In infancy and childhood, almost all body systems differ markedly from those of an adult.
When a baby is born, its lungs and chest have different proportions than that of an adult. The baby's ribcage grows faster than the lungs, and only in an adult does it acquire the size at which the fully expanded lungs fit into the relaxed ribcage.
In children, the lungs do not fully expand even when the chest is fully lifted while inhaling. To in children's organism the required oxygen rate was received, the body was forced to breathe with an increased frequency. Therefore, the respiratory rate in newborns is the highest among all age groups.
Another feature of the breathing of babies: about 70% of them breathe only through the nose until the age of 3-6 weeks. And only 30% breathe immediately through the nose and mouth. This does not mean that children who breathe through the nose cannot breathe through the mouth, it is just that they do not do it in their normal, calm state.
In the first months of a baby's life, his nasal passages are anatomically narrow, and the mucous surfaces of the respiratory tract are supplied with blood to a much greater extent than in adults. This property of the mucous membrane is very useful for the baby, because it allows cold and dry air to enter the lungs already warmed and humidified, cleansed of dust and harmful microbes.
But besides the advantages, breathing through the nose has its own disadvantages. The narrowness of the nasal passages with inflammation, swelling of the mucous membranes or nasal congestion does not allow the child to take a full breath. Any speck in your nose can trigger sneezing and mucus buildup. The baby's breathing becomes difficult, becomes superficial and frequent, his sleep and feeding are disturbed. The baby becomes restless, begins to scream, thereby ensuring the flow of the right amount of air into the lungs.
The work of the pulmonary system of a newborn is largely dependent on the work of his diaphragm. This muscle separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and, due to its contractions, provides respiratory movements of the lungs. Therefore, problems with gastrointestinal tract, as well as tight swaddling of the baby, limiting the mobility of his diaphragm, affect the frequency of his respiratory movements.
At an older age, children already breathe largely due to the intercostal muscles and abdominal muscles.
Sometimes babies have a type of breathing in which regular inhalation and exhalation alternate with irregular ones. This is the norm for this age.
Unusual baby breathing in and of itself should not be cause for alarm. Shallow, abrupt breaths with wheezing or an unstable rhythm are quite common, although they are some deviation.
Normal frequency
Knowing the indicators of the child's breathing rate, parents can pay more attention to his health. The rate of respiration in children gradually decreases by age, as the baby grows.
Below is a table showing what is the normal respiratory rate in children of different ages.
For comparison, in adults, the breathing rate is approximately 12-20 breaths per minute.
If your child's respiratory rate is within the range noted above, there is no reason to worry. If breathing becomes more frequent, this may be an indication of problems and is the reason for an immediate visit to a doctor.
Possible causes of respiratory problems:
- 1. Infection;
- 2. Respiratory distress syndrome;
- 3. Transient tachypnea of newborns;
- 4. Other problems (pneumonia, lung malformation, etc.).
Dependence on body temperature
Research shows that the heart rate in children 2 months and older increases by about 10 beats per minute for every degree Celsius in body temperature. In children under 2 months of age, this does not happen due to insufficient activation of regulators. nervous system for an adequate response to elevated temperatures.
The increased temperature stimulates the respiratory muscles and causes the pulmonary system to work harder. Frequent inhalation and exhalation allow heat to be more actively removed through pulmonary gas exchange.
The respiratory rate of children under 12 months of age increases by 7-11 breaths per minute for each degree Celsius of increase in body temperature. For children under 2 years old, this indicator decreases and is already 5-7 breaths per minute by 1 degree Celsius.
It should be noted that body temperature has a moderately pronounced, albeit significant, effect on respiratory status, regardless of age group... Application in clinical practice The data obtained are limited, since the nature of the relationship between respiration rate and body temperature is not linear.
To determine respiratory rate, you need to take the patient by the hand as for examining the pulse on radial artery to distract the patient's attention, and put the other hand on the chest (for chest breathing) or on the epigastric region (for abdominal breathing). Only the number of breaths per minute is counted.
Normally, the frequency of respiratory movements in an adult at rest is 16-20 per minute, and in women it is 2-4 more breaths than in men. In the supine position, the number of breaths decreases (up to 14-16 per minute), in the upright position it increases (18-20 per minute). In trained people and athletes, the respiratory rate can decrease and reach 6-8 per minute.
Pathological increased respiration(tachipnoe) can be caused by the following reasons.
1. Narrowing of the lumen of small bronchi and bronchioles as a result of spasm or diffuse inflammation of their mucous membrane (bronchiolitis, which occurs mainly in children), preventing the normal passage of air into the alveoli.
2. A decrease in the respiratory surface of the lungs, which can occur with pneumonia and tuberculosis, with atelectasis of the lung, due to its compression (exudative pleurisy, hydrothorax, pneumothorax, mediastinal tumor), or obstruction or compression of the main bronchus by a tumor.
3. Blockage of a large branch of the pulmonary artery by a thrombus or embolus.
4. Severe pulmonary emphysema.
5. Lungs overflow with blood or edema in some cardiovascular diseases.
6. Insufficient depth of breathing (shallow breathing) with difficulty in contraction of the intercostal muscles or diaphragm due to the occurrence sharp pains(dry pleurisy, acute myositis, intercostal neuralgia, rib fracture or metastases in the ribs and vertebrae), with a sharp increase in intra-abdominal pressure and high standing of the diaphragm (ascites, flatulence, late dates pregnancy).
7. Hysteria.
Pathological shortness of breath(bradipnoe) occurs when function is suppressed respiratory center and reducing its excitability. It can be caused by an increase intracranial pressure with a brain tumor, meningitis, cerebral hemorrhage or edema, with exposure to the respiratory center of toxic products, for example, with uremia, hepatic or diabetic coma and some sharp infectious diseases and poisoning.
Breathing depth is determined by the volume of inhaled and exhaled air during a normal resting state. In adults, under physiological conditions, the tidal volume ranges from 300 to 900 ml, an average of 500 ml. Breathing can be deep or shallow. Frequent shallow breathing occurs with pathological rapid breathing, when inhalation and exhalation, as a rule, become shorter. Rare shallow breathing can occur with a sharp inhibition of the function of the respiratory center, severe emphysema of the lungs, a sharp narrowing of the glottis or trachea. Deep breathing is more often combined with pathological shortness of breath. Deep, rare noisy breathing with large respiratory movements is characteristic of ketoacidosis - Kussmaul breathing. Deep, rapid breathing occurs when high fever, severe anemia.
Breathing types. Under physiological conditions, the main respiratory muscles are involved in breathing - the intercostal muscles, the diaphragm, and partially the muscles of the abdominal wall.
The breathing pattern can be chest, abdominal, or mixed.
Chest (costal) type of breathing. Respiratory movements of the chest are carried out mainly due to the contraction of the intercostal muscles. In this case, the chest during inhalation noticeably expands and rises slightly, and during exhalation it narrows and drops slightly. This type of breathing is typical for women.
Abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing. Respiratory movements are carried out mainly by the diaphragm; in the inspiratory phase, it contracts and descends, contributing to an increase in negative pressure in chest cavity and the rapid filling of the lungs with air. At the same time, due to an increase in intra-abdominal pressure, the abdominal wall is displaced forward. In the exhalation phase, relaxation and rise of the diaphragm occur, which is accompanied by the displacement of the abdominal wall to its original position. More common in men.
Mixed type breathing. Respiratory movements are performed simultaneously by contraction of the intercostal muscles and the diaphragm. Under physiological conditions, this can be observed in the elderly. Occurs when pathological conditions respiratory apparatus and organs abdominal cavity: in women with dry pleurisy, pleural adhesions, myositis and thoracic radiculitis due to a decrease contractile function of the intercostal muscles, respiratory movements are carried out with the additional help of the diaphragm. In men, mixed breathing can be with weak development of the muscles of the diaphragm, acute cholecystitis, penetrating or perforated ulcer stomach or duodenum. In such cases, respiratory movements are often carried out only due to the contraction of the intercostal muscles.
Breathing rhythm. Breath healthy person rhythmic, with the same depth and duration of the inhalation and exhalation phases. In some types of shortness of breath, the rhythm of respiratory movements may be disrupted due to an increase in the duration of inspiration (inspiratory dyspnea), expiration (expiratory dyspnea)
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