A Breathtaking Experience for Kids

Although children can usually inhale very well during lung auscultation, typically they do not exhale sufficiently. I ask them to “breathe in real big and then let all the air out without being noisy.” I place one hand on their chest and the other on their back; I let them inhale, and when they start to exhale, I gently compress the chest to accentuate the breath sounds and to obtain a full exhalation. Children tolerate this very well.

Although children can usually inhale very well during lung auscultation, typically they do not exhale sufficiently. I ask them to “breathe in real big and then let all the air out without being noisy.” I place one hand on their chest and the other on their back; I let them inhale, and when they start to exhale, I gently compress the chest to accentuate the breath sounds and to obtain a full exhalation. Children tolerate this very well.

-- CPT Adam T. Soto, MD
United States Army

 

 

 

 

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