Rationale and key points

Respiratory auscultation involves listening to and interpreting sounds from within the chest. Undertaking respiratory auscultation effectively requires appropriate equipment, knowledge of physiology and pathophysiology and experience in listening to and interpreting breath sounds. Nurses undertaking this procedure must ensure they have the knowledge and skills to do so and work within the limits of their competence. This article provides a step-by-step guide that explains how to undertake respiratory auscultation with infants and children aged 0-16 years.

• Respiratory auscultation is an essential procedure for informing differential diagnoses and assessing the trajectory of a child’s illness and response to treatment.

• In children with structurally normal, healthy lungs and a regular breathing pattern, the respiratory sound should be relatively quiet, with regular movement of air along the trachea and bronchioles, in and out of the lungs.

• Any breath sounds heard in unexpected areas requires further investigation, while a complete absence of breath sounds must be treated as a clinical emergency and assistance from the medical team must be sought immediately.

Reflective activity

‘How to’ articles can help to update your practice and ensure it remains evidence based. Apply this article to your practice. Reflect on and write a short account of:

• How this article might improve your practice when undertaking respiratory auscultation with infants and children.

• How you could use this information to educate nursing students or your colleagues on the procedure for undertaking respiratory auscultation with infants and children.