What is a key sign of respiratory distress in infants?

Grunting is a key sign of respiratory distress in infants because it indicates that the infant is trying to increase end-expiratory pressure to improve oxygenation and ventilation. When an infant is in respiratory distress, they may exhibit various signs indicating difficulty breathing, and grunting is a specific sound made during exhalation when they are struggling to breathe effectively. This sound results from forced expiration against a closed glottis, which can help to keep alveoli open and improve lung function in the face of respiratory compromise.

In contrast, the absence of retractions would typically suggest that the infant is not experiencing respiratory distress, while severe nasal congestion may occur for various reasons but does not specifically indicate respiratory distress. A normal respiratory rate would also not align with signs of distress; in such cases, respiratory rates are often elevated or irregular due to the effort to compensate for insufficient oxygen exchange. Understanding these signs and differentiating between them is pivotal for assessing the respiratory status of infants critically.