Breathing rate by age
Respiratory rate is measured as breaths per minute. In children, reference ranges are strongly age-dependent. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne publishes acceptable respiratory-rate ranges for unwell children based on paediatric observation charts. These are clinical reference ranges, not a diagnostic chart for healthy children at home.
| Age | Respiratory rate (breaths/minute) |
|---|---|
| Term newborn | 25–60 |
| 3 months | 25–60 |
| 6 months | 20–55 |
| 1 year | 20–45 |
| 2 years | 20–40 |
| 4 years | 17–30 |
| 6 years | 16–30 |
| 8 years | 16–30 |
| 10 years | 15–25 |
| 12 years | 15–25 |
| 14 years | 14–25 |
| 16 years | 14–25 |
| 17+ years | 14–25 |
Source: Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne — Acceptable ranges for physiological variables. The hospital notes that published paediatric ranges differ and that patterns of change and clinical context are important.
What about adults?
For adults who are resting, 12–20 breaths per minute is a commonly cited reference range. MedlinePlus currently lists 12–18 breaths per minute for an average healthy adult while resting, illustrating that reference ranges can differ between sources.
For that reason, a single number should not be treated as a diagnosis or a target. Your breathing rate can change with activity, stress, pain, illness, temperature, altitude and other circumstances.
Why is breathing faster in babies and young children?
Breathing rate normally tends to be higher in younger children than in adults. As children grow, their resting respiratory rate generally becomes lower. This is why an adult reference range should not be applied to a baby, toddler or young child.
For children, the number is also only one part of an assessment. The Royal Children's Hospital notes that the pattern of change and the child's overall clinical context are important when interpreting observations.
How to measure breathing rate at rest
- Choose a quiet setting and allow the person to settle.
- Observe normal breathing rather than asking them to take deliberately deep or slow breaths.
- Count each complete breath for a timed period.
- For an adult resting measurement, one full minute gives a direct breaths-per-minute result.
- Record the result together with useful context, such as recent activity or whether the person was calm and resting.
For a more detailed method, see our guide to measuring breathing rate at rest.
When a number should not be interpreted on its own
Breathing rate is only one observation. A reading can be affected by crying, exercise, fever, stress, pain, illness and the environment. In children especially, breathing rate should be considered alongside the child's behaviour, breathing effort, colour and other symptoms.
If someone has significant difficulty breathing, severe shortness of breath, blue or grey lips or skin, unusual drowsiness, confusion, chest pain or another urgent symptom, seek immediate medical attention rather than relying on a home breathing-rate calculation.
Measure your breathing rate
For adult wellness measurements, use the BreatheMeter calculator to count breaths over 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes.
Open breathing-rate calculator Get BreatheMeter on the App Store →Related breathing guides
What is a normal breathing rate?
How to measure your breathing rate at rest
Breathing rate calculator and guide