Week 4 respiratory illness NUR 373
Practice Exam and All Correct
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Differences in pediatric respiratory system - Answer 1. Upper airway is shorter and more
narrow
2. Newborns ate obligatory nose breathers
3. Larynx is more flexible and easily stimulated to spasm
4. Intercostal muscles are not fully developed
5. High RR and irregular pattern
6. Higher metabolic rate
7. Fewer alveoli
8. Bifurcation of bronchi higher and right bronchus enters lung at a steeper angle
9. Cartilage surrounding the trachea is more flexible
10. Eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal
11. Tonsils and lymphoid tissue is larger
12. Decreased immune function (especially between 3 months and 5 years)
Upper airway is shorter and more narrow - Answer - allows for pathogens to travel more
rapidly down the respiratory tract causing serious lower respiratory tract infections
- upper respiratory airway also cone shaped (funnel shape makes them more susceptible to
blockages from swelling or secretions
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults breath through nose and mouth while children - Answer - are obligatory nose
breathers (neonates)
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have a rigid chest wall while children - Answer - have a pliable chest wall
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have mature intercostal muscles while children - Answer - rely on diaphragm
- rely on muscles of diaphragm to help with breathing because they have those intercostal
muscles that are immature
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
,- adults have regular rates while children - Answer - have age determined rates
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have regular respirations while children - Answer - have irregular respirations
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have greater energy reserves while children - Answer - are easily fatigued (with less
energy reserves)
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have normal tidal volume while children - Answer - have lower tidal volume
- tidal volume = normal volume of air displaced between 1 inspiration and expiration
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have normal residual capacity while children - Answer - have less residual capacity
- residual capacity = amount of air remaining in lungs after big forced expiration
Risk for respiratory distress causes among infants/children - Answer 1. Size and shape of
airway
2. Anatomy of their respiratory system
3. Fewer alveoli
4. High metabolic rate
5. Decreased immune function
6. More frequent upper respiratory tract infections
Causes of respiratory distress in infants/children - Answer 1. Infection
- number 1 cause
- respiratory infection accounts for majority of illness until age 5
2. Asthma
3. Trauma
4. Inability to clear secretions
5. Foreign body aspiration
6. Sedation
, Increased rate of respiratory infection age and reason - Answer - between 3-6 months
increased rate of infections because maternal antibodies in infant start to fall off and have not
yet built up their own antibody production systems
Early signs of respiratory distress - Answer 1. Tachypnea
- increased rate of breathing
- bodies main compensatory mechanism to deal with O2 shortages
2. Hyperpnea
- increased depth of breathing
- bodies other main compensatory mechanism
3. Tachycardia
4. Restlessness/irritability
Late signs of respiratory distress - Answer 1. Nasal flaring
2. Retractions/indrawing
3. Tracheal tug
4. head bobbing
5. abdominal breathing
6. Grunting
7. Stridor
8. Pallor/ mottling/cyanosis
Intercostal retraction - Answer - intercostal retractions: involve pulling in of intercostal
muscles between ribs to get O2 into lungs
Substernal indrawing - Answer - substernal undraping: happens below the sternum and
ribcage in similar motion as intercostal retraction to get O2 into lungs
Tracheal tug - Answer - pulling in just above suprasternal notch with each breath
- could be normal for some children
abdominal breathing - Answer - underdeveloped intercostal muscles but still doing work to
try and get O2 into the lungs
- using diaphragm to really expand the thoracic cavity
Grunting - Answer - babies attempting to keep air in the lungs to build up their O2 levels
Practice Exam and All Correct
Answers 2025-2026 Updated.
Differences in pediatric respiratory system - Answer 1. Upper airway is shorter and more
narrow
2. Newborns ate obligatory nose breathers
3. Larynx is more flexible and easily stimulated to spasm
4. Intercostal muscles are not fully developed
5. High RR and irregular pattern
6. Higher metabolic rate
7. Fewer alveoli
8. Bifurcation of bronchi higher and right bronchus enters lung at a steeper angle
9. Cartilage surrounding the trachea is more flexible
10. Eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal
11. Tonsils and lymphoid tissue is larger
12. Decreased immune function (especially between 3 months and 5 years)
Upper airway is shorter and more narrow - Answer - allows for pathogens to travel more
rapidly down the respiratory tract causing serious lower respiratory tract infections
- upper respiratory airway also cone shaped (funnel shape makes them more susceptible to
blockages from swelling or secretions
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults breath through nose and mouth while children - Answer - are obligatory nose
breathers (neonates)
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have a rigid chest wall while children - Answer - have a pliable chest wall
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have mature intercostal muscles while children - Answer - rely on diaphragm
- rely on muscles of diaphragm to help with breathing because they have those intercostal
muscles that are immature
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
,- adults have regular rates while children - Answer - have age determined rates
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have regular respirations while children - Answer - have irregular respirations
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have greater energy reserves while children - Answer - are easily fatigued (with less
energy reserves)
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have normal tidal volume while children - Answer - have lower tidal volume
- tidal volume = normal volume of air displaced between 1 inspiration and expiration
Adult vs. paediatric breathing
- adults have normal residual capacity while children - Answer - have less residual capacity
- residual capacity = amount of air remaining in lungs after big forced expiration
Risk for respiratory distress causes among infants/children - Answer 1. Size and shape of
airway
2. Anatomy of their respiratory system
3. Fewer alveoli
4. High metabolic rate
5. Decreased immune function
6. More frequent upper respiratory tract infections
Causes of respiratory distress in infants/children - Answer 1. Infection
- number 1 cause
- respiratory infection accounts for majority of illness until age 5
2. Asthma
3. Trauma
4. Inability to clear secretions
5. Foreign body aspiration
6. Sedation
, Increased rate of respiratory infection age and reason - Answer - between 3-6 months
increased rate of infections because maternal antibodies in infant start to fall off and have not
yet built up their own antibody production systems
Early signs of respiratory distress - Answer 1. Tachypnea
- increased rate of breathing
- bodies main compensatory mechanism to deal with O2 shortages
2. Hyperpnea
- increased depth of breathing
- bodies other main compensatory mechanism
3. Tachycardia
4. Restlessness/irritability
Late signs of respiratory distress - Answer 1. Nasal flaring
2. Retractions/indrawing
3. Tracheal tug
4. head bobbing
5. abdominal breathing
6. Grunting
7. Stridor
8. Pallor/ mottling/cyanosis
Intercostal retraction - Answer - intercostal retractions: involve pulling in of intercostal
muscles between ribs to get O2 into lungs
Substernal indrawing - Answer - substernal undraping: happens below the sternum and
ribcage in similar motion as intercostal retraction to get O2 into lungs
Tracheal tug - Answer - pulling in just above suprasternal notch with each breath
- could be normal for some children
abdominal breathing - Answer - underdeveloped intercostal muscles but still doing work to
try and get O2 into the lungs
- using diaphragm to really expand the thoracic cavity
Grunting - Answer - babies attempting to keep air in the lungs to build up their O2 levels
