What causes a baby's rapid breathing?

Rapid breathing in infants is a problem that many babies and infants will encounter in daily life. This makes many parents worried and anxious, not knowing what causes it. This problem in children is generally normal, because the child’s cardiopulmonary function is not yet fully developed, and their breathing is naturally faster than normal people. So what causes the baby to breathe a little faster?

The normal respiratory rate of a newborn is faster than that of an adult, reaching 40 to 60 times per minute. If a newborn baby's breathing rate exceeds 60 times per minute when in a quiet state, then the child can be said to be short of breath. The more common causes of shortness of breath are:

(1) Amniotic fluid inhalation during birth affects normal gas exchange, and the newborn has to rely on compensatory breathing to make up for the deficiency. Another type of so-called neonatal wet lung refers to the temporary increase in breathing before the fluid in the lungs during the fetal period is completely absorbed at birth. It usually disappears on its own within 2 to 3 days.

(2) Congenital malformations can affect gas exchange and oxygen deficiency, causing shortness of breath.

(3) Dyspnea syndrome is more common in premature infants who undergo elective caesarean section. Most of them develop progressive, paroxysmal dyspnea within 12 hours after birth, with inspiratory retractions between the ribs and under the xiphoid process, followed by apnea and irregular breathing. The disease is associated with immature lung development and has a high mortality rate.

(4) Neonatal pneumonia is different from that of older children. Neonatal pneumonia often does not cause coughing or fever, but is mainly manifested by shortness of breath. In severe cases, there may be flaring of the nasal wing, nodding breathing, and cyanosis.

It is still the various physical symptoms that can be used to determine whether the child is healthy. Judging from the phenomenon that the baby's breathing is a little fast, this symptom is more common in premature babies. Most of the time, it is because the lung function and B-ultrasound function are not fully developed, and there is amniotic fluid inhalation at birth, which causes poor respiratory function. In fact, it has no effect. Parents just need to pay attention to the care and cleaning of the children, and do not hold the baby when feeding.