Elsevier

The Journal of Pediatrics

Volume 107, Issue 3, September 1985, Pages 465-469
The Journal of Pediatrics

Oral breathing in newborn infants

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3476(85)80535-7Get rights and content

Newborn infants are considered obligate nasal breathers, hence dependent on a patent nasal airway for ventilation. The conditions under which oral breathing could occur and the contribution of oral ventilation to total ventilation were studied in 30 healthy term infants (aged 1 to 3 days). Nasal and oral airflow were measured using two resistance-matched pneumotachometers, and heart rate tcPo2, et CO2, and sleep state were continuously recorded. In three of 10 infants studied in undisturbed sleep, spontaneous oronasal breathing was noted during both active and quiet sleep (mean duration 19±25 minutes), the distribution of tidal volume being 70%±12% nasal and 30%±12% oral. Episodes of oronasal breathing were also observed after crying in six infants (mean duration 21±19 seconds). In an additional 20 infants, multiple 15-second end-expiratory nasal occlusions were performed; eight (40%) of these infants initiated and sustained oral breathing in response to nasal occlusion. Respiratory rate, tidal volume, heart rate, and tcPo2 did not change when oral breathing occurred in response to nasal occlusion, although minute ventilation decreased from 265 to 199 ml/min/kg (P<0.05). These results demonstrate that newborn infants may use the oral airway for ventilation, both spontaneously and in response to complete nasal occlusion.

References (18)

  • MossML

    The veloepiglottic sphincter and obligate nose breathing in the neonate

    J Pediatr

    (1965)
  • ShawEB

    Suddenunexpected death in infancy syndrome

    Am J Dis Child

    (1970)
  • JamesWW et al.

    Discussion on mouth breathing and nasal obstruction

    Proc R Soc Med

    (June, 1932)
  • IngallM et al.

    Allergic rhinitis in early infancy

    Pediatrics

    (1965)
  • PracyR

    The diagnosis of respiratory obstruction in infants and small children

    Nurs Times

    (1972)
  • EmeryJL

    Sudden and unexpected death in infancy

    Med World

    (1958)
  • ShawEB

    Sudden unexpected death in infancy syndrome

    Am J Dis Child

    (1968)
  • SwiftPGF et al.

    Clinical observations on response to nasal occlusion in infancy

    Arch Dis Child

    (1973)
  • AndersonJV et al.

    An improved nasal mask pneumotachometer for measuring ventilation in neonates

    J Appl Physiol

    (1982)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

Supported by Grants HL-25830 and HL-31173 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institut and by a research award from Radiometer Corporation, Copenhagen.

View full text