Paul F. Crouch, co-founder of the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), the world's largest Christian-owned cable station, was taken off a ventilator this week after breathing difficulties and shortness of breath led to his hospitalization late last month.
Infants often have a normally irregular respiratory rhythm, so count their respiratory rate for 1 full minute, preferably while the infant is calm or asleep (for the most accurate rate). A normal respiratory rate for this age group is between 30 and 60 breaths per minute. normal respiratory rate for an adolescent is between 16 and 20 breaths per minute. Again, be aware of the signs of respiratory distress (tachypnea, retractions, and nasal flaring) and if you observe these, initiate treatment immediately.
At about 5 weeks gestation, your baby's heart begins to beat. 1  At this point, a normal fetal heart rate is about the same heart rate as the mother's: about 80-85 beats per minute (BPM). 2  At this point, it begins a rapid deceleration to the normal fetal heart rate for the middle of the pregnancy to about 120-180 BPM. There is also a slowing of the normal fetal heart rate in the last 10 weeks of pregnancy, though the normal fetal heart rate is still about twice the normal adult's resting heart rate.