National Nursing Review : Nursing Study Resources & Health Tips

The major respiratory signs are:
1. Tachypnea: Defined as the respiratory rate 60 breaths per minute. Indicates inadequate ventilation or oxygenation. The child responds to hypoxemia or hypercapnia, breathing faster.
2. Cyanosis: Reflects an increase of more desaturated hemoglobin 3-5 g / dl. It can occur in heart disease, respiratory, neurological and metabolic diseases.
3. Muscle Retractions: These occur in any muscle group of the chest may be intercostal, subxiphoid, supraclavicular … indicate inadequate ventilation that requires the use of accessory muscles. They are common to diseases which reduce alveolar ventilation, eg atelactasias.
4. Moan: An audible sound at the end of expiration. It is caused by the child’s respiratory effort against a closed glottis partially or completely. Represents a physiological response that seeks to increase the residual lung volume.
5. Apnea is defined as a respiratory pause of 15 seconds or more, or less than 15 seconds, if accompanied by bradycardia and / or arterial desaturation.
6. Nasal flaring: Movement of both wings of the nose that occurs during inspiration and an increase of respiratory work. (more…)