ACTUAL Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Differences in the pediatric respiratory anatomy - CORRECT ANSWER - Short neck
Long, floppy epiglottis
Infants are nose breathers
Ribs are horizontal
Diaphragmatic breathers
More soft tissue in the airway
Premature ciliar
Fewer, smaller alveoli
Walls of alveoli are thicker
Increased chest wall compliance
Higher respiratory rate
Increased potential for atelectasis
Blunted ventilatory response in newborns
Funnel shaped airway
Large tongues
The large amount of soft tissue in the airway means? - CORRECT ANSWER - Increased
potential for edema and obstruction
Problem with horizontal ribs? - CORRECT ANSWER - This prevents the bucket handle
action and limits an increase in tidal volume so ribs can't lift up to expand the lung volume
Problem with premature cilia? - CORRECT ANSWER - Waste products cannot be moved
as easily
,Problem with fewer and smaller alveoli? - CORRECT ANSWER - Less gas exchange
Problem with increased chest wall compliance? - CORRECT ANSWER - Due to the soft
ribs, the rib cage cannot alter in size to help increase volume and the chest wall is easily
collapsible
Problem with increased sleeping? - CORRECT ANSWER - This reduces their functional
reserve capacity, inhibits the intercostal and other smooth muscles, loss of tone in the laryngeal
muscles - all of this leads to a loss of PEEP which increases the potential for apnea
Cardinal signs of respiratory failure - CORRECT ANSWER - Restlessness
Tachypnea
Tachycardia
Diaphoresis (more in the older child)
Early and less obvious signs of respiratory failure - CORRECT ANSWER - Mood changes
- anxiety, irritability
Decreased LOC
Headache
Change in respirations
Hypertension
DOE
Anorexia
Nasal flaring
Grunting
Retractions
Wheezing or prolonged expiration
Signs of severe hypoxia - CORRECT ANSWER - Hypotension or Hypertension
, Dimness of vision
Somnolence, stupor, coma
Dyspnea
Bradycardia
Depressed respirations
Peripheral or central cyanosis
If the heart is less than 60 BPM, what do you do? - CORRECT ANSWER - Start CPR
Interventions for mild respiratory distress - CORRECT ANSWER - Oxygen via nasal
prongs
Interventions for moderate respiratory distress - CORRECT ANSWER - Oxygen via NRB
Open the airway
Reposition
Stimulation
Suctioning
Interventions for severe respiratory distress - CORRECT ANSWER - Start CPR and call
for help
Asthma is a ____ disease? - CORRECT ANSWER - Reactive airway
What is the strongest identifiable predisposing factor for developing asthma? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Atopy
What is atopy? - CORRECT ANSWER - The genetic predisposition for the development
an immunoglobulin E