Question
My newborn is 16 days old, with a breathing rate of 57 times per minute and a heart rate between 110 to 120. Sometimes, there is nasal flaring with breathing, and occasional coughing. There is difficulty breathing while feeding, and after feeding, it takes some time for the breathing to stabilize. There is mucus in the mouth, bubbles in the saliva, and no bluish discoloration around the nose and mouth. The abdomen rises and falls irregularly during breathing, no indentation symptoms are found on the chest. When held in the arms, the head moves while breathing. Symptoms are not obvious when lying flat. I went to the hospital yesterday and had a doctor perform a percussion examination. The doctor listened to the baby’s chest in both a calm and crying state and said that the percussion results were normal. I would like to ask if these symptoms are normal and if pneumonia can be ruled out?
Answer
Based on the detailed information you provided, I suggest you take your child to a regular hospital’s neonatal department for a comprehensive and detailed examination, including chest X-rays and routine blood tests. It cannot be determined whether there is pneumonia solely based on percussion and symptoms. I hope my explanation is helpful. This is my recommendation for the question “Are newborns 16 days old with a breathing rate of 57 times per minute.” I hope it helps, and wish the patient a speedy recovery!