Which range is NOT a normal respiratory rate for any age group in the data?

• A. 10-15 breaths per minute
• B. 24-40 breaths per minute
• C. 30-60 breaths per minute
• D. 18-30 breaths per minute

Answer: (A)

Normal respiratory rate varies with age, with younger children and infants having higher rates and rates gradually decreasing toward the adult range (about 12–20 breaths per minute). Infants and toddlers typically run higher: roughly 30–60 for infants, and about 24–40 for toddlers. Preschool and school-age children tend to be in the 22–34 and 18–30 ranges, respectively, while adolescents and adults hover around 12–20.

Given those patterns, 10–15 breaths per minute is below the normal range for every age group listed. The other ranges fit into normal ranges for some age groups (24–40 for toddlers, 30–60 for infants, and 18–30 for school-age/adolescents). Therefore, the range that is not normal for any age group is 10–15 breaths per minute.