Quiz-62-Disordered Control of Breathing

A 10-year-old child with a history of Guillain-Barré Syndrome presents with progressive weakness and difficulty breathing. The paramedic notes that the child's forced vital capacity (FVC) has dropped below 20 mL/kg. What is the most appropriate clinical inference regarding this patient's status?

Neuromuscular Respiratory Failure Recognition

The patient is experiencing compensated respiratory distress and requires continued observation only

The patient has reached a threshold predicting impending ventilatory failure requiring early airway planning.

The patient is hyperventilating due to anxiety and should be reassured before transport.

The patient requires immediate administration of bronchodilators to reverse airway obstruction.

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Which respiratory pattern is characteristic of a child in Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) compensating for a high-anion-gap metabolic acidosis?

Metabolic Causes of Respiratory Patterns

Shallow, slow respirations indicating central nervous system depression.

Kussmaul respirations: deep, regular, and often rapid breaths.

Cheyne-Stokes breathing with cyclical periods of apnea.

Irregular, ataxic breathing driven by brainstem compression.

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A 7-year-old child presents with a severe traumatic brain injury and signs of acute herniation (unilateral dilated pupil, posturing). Current evidence suggests the only acceptable use of hyperventilation in this scenario is:

Traumatic Brain Injury & Hyperventilation Strategy

Prophylactic hyperventilation to maintain PaCO₂ at 25 mmHg immediately upon arrival.

Brief therapeutic hyperventilation targeting PaCO₂ 30–35 mmHg as a temporising measure.

Normocapnia maintenance (PaCO₂ 35–40 mmHg) regardless of herniation signs.

High-flow oxygen alone, avoiding any changes to ventilation rate.

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