Patient's question:
My baby is 20 days old. Since birth, her breathing has been fast and slow, and she often turns red (e.g., I breathe once, and she breathes twice). Her heartbeat is normal. What could be the reason? Is it dangerous?(No abnormalities in eating, sleeping, pooping, or peeing).
Doctor's answer:
Normal children have different respiratory rates depending on their age; the younger the child, the faster the breathing rate. The rapid breathing rate of children depends on their anatomical and physiological characteristics of the respiratory system. Compared to adults, children's lung capacity and tidal volume are relatively smaller, and the respiratory system of children does not fully develop until the age of eight. Generally, newborns breathe at a rate of 40 times per minute; one-year-olds at 30 times per minute; five-year-olds at 25 times per minute; ten-year-olds at 20 times per minute; and adults at 16 to 18 times per minute. Based solely on the situation you described, there is nothing wrong with your baby.