Question

What are the expected respirations for a newborn to one year?

a) 12-20 breaths per minute
b) 30-60 breaths per minute
c) 70-90 breaths per minute
d) 40-50 breaths per minute

Answer 1

The expected respiratory rate for a newborn to one year old is 30-60 breaths per minute, which gradually decreases as they mature.

Step-by-step explanation:

The expected respirations for a newborn to one year old are 30-60 breaths per minute. This respiratory rate is quite fast compared to adults, who on average breathe 12-15 times per minute when at rest. Babies have higher metabolic rates and therefore require more oxygen exchange, proportional to their body size, which is fulfilled by a faster respiratory rate. As they grow older, their respiratory rates will decrease. By age 10, the normal respiratory rate is closer to 18 to 30 breaths per minute, and by adolescence, it aligns more closely with that of adults, which is 12 to 18 breaths per minute.