A child’s breathing rate can provide useful information about their health. Children naturally breathe faster than adults, and their respiratory rate generally becomes slower as they grow.
Breathing may temporarily become faster during physical activity, crying, anxiety or fever. For a useful resting measurement, count your child’s breaths when they are calm or asleep.
This guide explains how to count a child’s respiratory rate, the general ranges for different ages and the warning signs that require medical attention.
What Is Respiratory Rate?
Respiratory rate is the number of breaths a person takes in one minute. One complete rise and fall of the chest or abdomen counts as one breath.
Respiratory rate is one of several vital signs used to assess health. A doctor may consider it alongside temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, symptoms and medical history when assessing a child’s overall health.
A single measurement outside an expected range does not necessarily mean that a child is unwell. The child’s age, activity, temperature, emotional state and overall appearance all need to be considered. A continuing change or a pattern of unusual readings may be more significant than an isolated result.
What Is a Normal Respiratory Rate for a Sleeping Child?
Normal respiratory rates vary between children, and published reference ranges can differ. The following figures provide a general guide for children who are resting calmly:
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Newborns and young infants: approximately 25–60 breaths per minute
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Older infants: approximately 20–55 breaths per minute
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Toddlers aged 1–2 years: approximately 20–45 breaths per minute
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Children aged 3–5 years: approximately 17–30 breaths per minute
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Children aged 6–12 years: approximately 15–30 breaths per minute
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Teenagers: approximately 14–25 breaths per minute
These ranges should not be used to diagnose a condition. What is usual for an individual child and whether the rate is changing over time are also important.
If your child’s breathing rate is outside the expected range, repeat the measurement while they are calm. Speak with a healthcare professional if the unusual rate persists or is accompanied by other symptoms.
How Does Sleep Affect Respiratory Rate?
Breathing usually becomes slower during sleep because the body requires less oxygen than it does during activity. The rhythm can also change as a child moves through different sleep stages.
Breathing is generally slower and more regular during non-rapid eye movement sleep. During rapid eye movement sleep, when dreaming commonly occurs, breathing may become slightly faster or less regular.
Brief variations can occur, particularly in young babies. However, repeated pauses, gasping, loud snoring, choking sounds or visible difficulty breathing should be discussed with a doctor.
How to Count Your Child’s Breaths per Minute
For the most useful measurement, count your child’s breaths while they are resting calmly or sleeping.
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Make sure your child has not recently been exercising, crying or moving around.
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Watch their chest or abdomen rise and fall.
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Count each complete rise and fall as one breath.
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Continue counting for a full 60 seconds.
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Record the result, your child’s activity at the time and any other symptoms.
Counting for less than a minute and multiplying the result can be less reliable, especially because young children may have irregular breathing patterns.
Avoid waking or disturbing a sleeping child while counting. If clothing or bedding makes the movement difficult to see, gently reposition the covering without restricting their breathing.
Factors That Can Affect a Child’s Breathing Rate
A child’s respiratory rate can change for many reasons. Common influences include:
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age
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physical activity
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crying or emotional distress
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anxiety
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fever
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pain
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room temperature
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sleep stage
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respiratory infections
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asthma or other airway conditions
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heart or metabolic conditions
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certain medicines
Fever commonly causes both breathing and heart rate to increase. Running, active play or crying can also result in a temporary increase that should settle as the child calms down.
Respiratory infections are among the common illnesses in babies and may cause faster breathing, particularly when accompanied by fever, congestion, coughing or reduced feeding.
Breathing rate should therefore be interpreted in context. A child who has just been active should be allowed time to rest before their respiratory rate is measured.
Signs of an Abnormal Respiratory Rate
Breathing that remains unusually fast or slow may require medical assessment. The number of breaths is only one consideration; how hard the child is working to breathe is particularly important.
Signs that a child may be having difficulty breathing include:
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nostrils widening with each breath
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the skin pulling in between or beneath the ribs
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the muscles in the neck or abdomen working visibly during breathing
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persistent wheezing, grunting or noisy breathing
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difficulty speaking, crying, feeding or drinking because of breathlessness
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repeated pauses in breathing
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unusual sleepiness or difficulty waking
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pale, grey or blue skin, particularly around the lips
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a child appearing distressed, floppy or unusually unwell
A change in respiratory rate may occur alongside chest discomfort, unusual tiredness, fever or persistent night sweats in children. These symptoms do not identify a particular condition on their own, but a GP can assess the overall pattern and determine whether further investigation is appropriate.
Normal Respiratory Rate for Infants
Newborns and infants generally breathe faster than older children. Their breathing rhythm can also be less regular, with short variations in rate while sleeping.
When measuring an infant’s breathing, watch the abdomen as well as the chest because abdominal movement may be easier to see. Count for a full minute while the baby is calm.
Fever, crying, feeding and activity may temporarily increase an infant’s respiratory rate. Signs such as poor feeding, fewer wet nappies, persistent coughing, chest retractions or unusual drowsiness warrant medical advice.
A baby younger than three months who has a temperature of 38°C or higher should receive urgent medical assessment.
Normal Respiratory Rate for Toddlers and Young Children
As children grow, their breathing rate generally slows and becomes more regular. Toddlers may still breathe considerably faster than adults, particularly during active play or when upset.
Wait until your child has been resting calmly before counting their breaths. If the result seems unusual, repeat the measurement after several minutes and note whether they have a fever, cough, wheeze or other symptoms.
Persistent fast breathing in a calm child may occur with an infection, asthma or another condition and should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
Normal Respiratory Rate for Older Children
School-aged children usually have a slower resting respiratory rate than infants and toddlers. Physical activity, anxiety, pain and fever can still cause temporary increases.
In older children, ask whether they feel short of breath, dizzy or have chest discomfort. Observe whether they can speak normally and whether their breathing appears effortless.
A rate outside the expected range is more concerning when it persists at rest, changes progressively or occurs with visible breathing difficulty.
What to Do If Your Child’s Respiratory Rate Is Abnormal
If the rate is only slightly outside the expected range and your child otherwise seems well:
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Allow them to rest calmly.
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Count their breaths again for a full minute.
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Check for fever, coughing, wheezing, pain or other symptoms.
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Record the measurements and the times they were taken.
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Contact a GP if the unusual rate continues or you remain concerned.
Do not rely on respiratory rate alone to decide whether a child is seriously unwell. Parents and caregivers know their child’s usual behaviour, so an important change in alertness, feeding, colour or responsiveness also deserves attention.
A doctor may examine the child’s breathing, listen to their chest and check their temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation. Further testing will depend on the child’s symptoms and clinical assessment.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Help
Call Triple Zero (000) or go to the nearest emergency department if your child:
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is struggling or working very hard to breathe
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has pale, grey or blue skin around the lips
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becomes very drowsy, floppy or difficult to wake
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has pauses in breathing
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cannot speak, cry, feed or drink normally because of breathing difficulty
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becomes seriously unwell very quickly
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is having a seizure
Do not wait for a routine appointment when a child has severe breathing difficulty.
Key Takeaways
Children’s respiratory rates vary by age and generally become slower as they grow. For the most reliable home measurement, count breaths for a full minute while your child is calm or asleep.
Look beyond the number. Breathing effort, skin colour, alertness, feeding and associated symptoms can be just as important as the rate itself.
If you are concerned about your child’s breathing, a GP at Lotus Medical Centre in Brunswick can assess their symptoms and advise you on the appropriate next steps. Seek emergency medical assistance if your child is struggling to breathe, has blue or grey lips, is unusually drowsy or becomes unresponsive.
