What respiratory rate would be expected for a 2-year-old child?

• A. 30 breaths per minute
• B. 12 breaths per minute
• C. 22 breaths per minute
• D. 40 breaths per minute

Answer: (A)

Pediatric vital signs depend on age, and respiratory rate decreases as children grow. For a healthy two-year-old, a typical respiratory rate is about 24–40 breaths per minute, with the average around 30. That makes 30 breaths per minute the best match for what would be expected in a toddler.

A rate of 12 is far too slow for a toddler and resembles an adult’s rate. A rate around 22 sits at the lower end of the toddler range and could occur, but it’s less representative of the common expectation. A rate of 40 is the high end of normal and could happen with fever or exertion, but it isn’t the average rate you’d expect for a calm, resting toddler.