Frequent shallow breathing. Superficial breathing in a child

Adequate for the adult breathing rate, if determined at rest, is 8 to 16 breaths per minute. For a baby, it is normal to exercise up to 44 breaths per minute.

Causes

Frequent shallow breathing occurs due to the following reasons:

• Pneumonia or other infectious lung damage;
• asthma;
• Bronchiolitis;
• Hypoxia;
• Heart failure;
• Transitional tachypnea in newborns;
• Shocks;
• Poisoning of a diverse nature;
• Diabetes mellitus;
• Pathology of the brain (primary: TBI, thromboembolism, spasm of cerebral vessels, secondary: circulatory disorders, tuberculous meningitis).

Symptoms of respiratory disorders

• Changing the frequency of breathing: either excessive rapidity of respiratory movements (in this case, there is a superficial respiration, when the exhalation and inspiration is very short), or excessive loss of breathing (respiratory movements are very deep).
• Changes in the respiratory rhythm: intervals between exhalations and inhalations may be different, in some cases, respiratory movements cease for a second or minutes, and then resume.
• Lack of consciousness. This symptom is not directly related to respiratory disorders, but in the case of a very serious condition of the patient, respiratory disorders occur in the unconscious state.

Forms of respiratory disorders, which are manifested by shallow breathing

• Cheyne-Stokes breathing.
• Hyperventilation is neurogenic.
• Tachypnea.
• Biota breathing.

Central hyperventilation

It represents breathing deep (shallow) and frequent (BH reaches 25-60 movements per minute). It often accompanies damage to the midbrain (located between the hemispheres of the brain and its trunk).

Cheyne-Stokes breathing

The pathological form of breathing, characterized by deepening and increasing respiratory movements, and then their transition to more superficial and rare and at the end the appearance of a pause, after which the cycle repeats itself.

Similar changes in breathing are due to an overabundance of carbon dioxide in the blood, which is why the work of the respiratory center is disrupted. In small children, a similar change in breathing is observed quite often and passes with age.

In adult patients, Cheyne-Stokes surface breathing develops as a result of:

• Asthmatic status;
• Circulatory disorders in the brain (hemorrhages, vascular spasms, strokes);
• Hydrocephalus (hydrocephalus);
• Intoxications of various genesis (drug overdose, poisoning with drugs, alcohol, nicotine, chemicals);
• IMT;
• Coma diabetic;
• Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels;
• Heart failure;
• Coma uremic (with kidney failure).

Tachypnea

Refers to one of the types of dyspnea. Breathing in this case is superficial, but its rhythm is not changed. Due to the superficiality of the respiratory movements, there is insufficient ventilation of the lungs, which can sometimes be delayed for several days. The most common such surface respiration occurs in healthy patients with severe physical exertion or nervous overstrain. Disappears without a trace when the above factors are eliminated and is transformed into a normal rhythm. Occasionally it develops against a background of some pathologies.

Biota breathing

Synonym: atactic breathing. This disorder is characterized by disordered respiratory movements. At the same time, deep breaths pass into shallow breathing, alternating with a complete absence of respiratory movements. Atactic breathing accompanies damage to the posterior part of the brainstem.

Diagnostics

If the patient has any changes in the frequency / depth of breathing, you need to urgently consult a doctor, especially if such changes are combined with:

• Hyperthermia (high temperature);
• Pulling or other pains in the chest when inhaling / exhaling;
• Shortness of breath;
• First arising tachypnea;
• Grayish or bluish shade of skin, lips, nails, periorbital area, gums.

To diagnose pathologies, which are the cause of shallow breathing, the doctor conducts a series of studies:

1. Collection of anamnesis and complaints:

• Prescription and features of the appearance of a symptom (eg, shallow shallow breathing);
• Prior to the occurrence of violations of any significant event: poisoning, trauma;
• The rate of manifestation of respiratory disorders in the event of loss of consciousness.

2. Inspection:

• Determination of depth, as well as frequency of respiratory movements;
• Definition of the level of consciousness;
• Determination of the presence / absence of signs of brain damage (lowered muscle tone, strabismus, the appearance of pathological reflexes, pupils' condition and their reaction to light: point pupils that react weakly to light - a sign of brainstem lesion, wide pupils that do not respond to Light is a sign of damage to the midbrain;
• Examination of the abdominal region, neck, head, heart and lungs.

3. Blood analysis (general and biochemistry), in particular, determination of the level of creatinine and urea, as well as oxygen saturation.

4. Acid-alkaline composition of blood (presence / absence of acidification of blood).

5. Toxicology: the presence / absence of toxic agents (drugs, drugs, heavy metals).

6. MRI, CT.

7. Consultation of a neurosurgeon.

8. Radiography of the thoracic region.

9. Pulse oximetry.

10. ECG.

11. Scanning of the lungs for changes in ventilation and organ perfusion.

Treatment

The primary goal of the therapy of superficial breathing is to eliminate the underlying cause that caused the appearance of this condition:

• Detoxification (antidotes, infusions), vitamins C, B, hemodialysis with uremia (renal failure), and in case of meningitis - antibiotics / antiviral agents.
• Elimination of cerebral edema (diuretics, GCS).
• Means for improving brain nutrition (metabolism, neurotrophy).
• Transfer to mechanical ventilation (if necessary).

Complications

Surface breathing in itself does not cause any serious complications, but can lead to hypoxia (oxygen starvation) due to changes in the respiratory rhythm. That is, the surface respiratory movements are unproductive, since they do not ensure the proper supply of oxygen to the body.

Superficial breathing in a child

The normal respiratory rate is different for children of different ages. So, newborns make up to 50 breaths per minute, babies up to a year - 25-40, up to 3 years - 25 (up to 30), 4-6 years - up to 25 breaths under normal conditions.

In the event that a child of 1-3 years carries out more than 35 respiratory movements, and 4-6 years - more than 30 per minute, then this breath can be regarded as superficial and frequent. In this case, an insufficient amount of air penetrates into the lungs and its main mass lingers in the bronchi and trachea, not taking part in gas exchange. For normal ventilation, such respiratory movements are clearly not enough.

As a consequence of this condition, children often suffer from SARS and ARI. In addition, surface frequent respiration leads to the development of asthma of bronchial or asthmatic bronchitis. Therefore, parents should always contact the doctor to find out the cause of changes in the frequency / depth of breathing in the baby.

In addition to diseases, such changes in breathing may be due to hypodynamia, excessive weight, habit of hunched up, increased gas production, poor posture, lack of walking, hardening and sports.

In addition, surface frequent respiration in children can develop due to prematurity (lack of surfactant), hyperthermia (high temperature), or stressful situations.

Rapid superficial breathing most often develops in children with the following pathologies:

• Bronchial asthma;
• Pneumonia;
• Allergies;
• Pleurisy;
• Rhinitis;
• Laryngitis;
• Tuberculosis;
• Bronchitis chronic;
• Pathologies of the heart.

Therapy of superficial breathing, as in adult patients, is aimed at eliminating the causes that caused it. In any case, the baby should be shown to the doctor, for the correct diagnosis and prescription of adequate treatment.

It may be necessary to consult the following specialists:

• Pediatrician;
• Pulmonologist;
• Psychiatrist;
• Allergist;
• Children's cardiologist.