Final answer:
Obtaining the respirations of an infant requires a modified approach from that of an adult because infants' respiratory movements are abdominal due to their developmental anatomy and reliance on the diaphragm for breathing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Obtaining the respirations of an infant requires a modified approach from that of an adult because infants' respiratory movements are abdominal. This is due to the developmental anatomy of infants, where the diaphragm plays a more significant role in breathing than in older children and adults.
The abdominal movement is prominent as the chest wall of the infant is more compliant, and the diaphragm is their primary muscle for ventilation. The normal respiratory rate of a child under 1 year of age ranges between 30 and 60 breaths per minute.
During gestation, the fetus lungs are filled with amniotic fluid, and the fetus receives oxygen and expels carbon dioxide through the placenta. Therefore, respiratory movements in utero are not for oxygen exchange but are instead preparations for breathing after birth.
At birth, factors such as labor contractions elevate carbon dioxide levels in the blood, stimulating the respiratory center in the brain, causing the newborn to take their first actual breath. This first breath inflates the lungs, which were previously filled with amniotic fluid.