Respiration rate is the number of breaths a person takes per minute and is a primary vital sign, along with blood pressure, heart rate, and temperature. The speed and pattern of breathing indicate how efficiently the body is delivering oxygen to its tissues.
Measuring Respiration Rate
To measure respiration rate, count the number of breaths a person takes over a full 60-second period for accuracy. One breath consists of a complete inhalation and a subsequent exhalation, observed by the rise and fall of the chest.
The measurement should be taken when the individual is at rest. It is also best if the person is unaware their breathing is being monitored, as awareness can alter their natural breathing pattern and affect the result.
Normal Respiration Rates by Age
A person’s normal respiration rate slows throughout life, with infants breathing much faster than adults. For newborns and infants up to one year old, the rate is 30 to 60 breaths per minute. Toddlers aged one to three years have a rate of 24 to 40 breaths per minute.
Preschoolers between three and five years old have a range of 22 to 34 breaths per minute. School-age children, from six to twelve years, have a resting rate of 18 to 30 breaths per minute. Adolescents and adults have a range of 12 to 20 breaths per minute, which is the standard for a healthy adult at rest.
Factors That Influence Respiration Rate
Several factors can cause a person’s respiration rate to deviate from the baseline. Physical exertion increases the rate as the body demands more oxygen, and emotions like anxiety or stress can also quicken breathing. Medical issues such as fever, dehydration, and infections often lead to a faster respiratory rate.
Conditions that directly impact the lungs, like asthma, lung infections, and heart conditions, can cause breathing to speed up. A consistently high resting respiratory rate is known as tachypnea. Conversely, a rate that is persistently below the normal range, a condition called bradypnea, can be caused by head injuries or drug overdoses.
When to Be Concerned
An abnormal respiration rate warrants attention when accompanied by other symptoms. One warning sign is shortness of breath (dyspnea), where a person feels they cannot get enough air. Another is a bluish discoloration of the skin, lips, or nail beds (cyanosis), which indicates a lack of oxygen in the blood.
Other red flags that should be evaluated include:
- Audible sounds during breathing, such as wheezing, grunting, or stridor
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- A persistently high or low breathing rate without a clear cause
If these symptoms are present alongside an abnormal rate, it is important to seek medical advice to determine the underlying cause.