UBER DIE FREQUENZBEZIEHUNG VON PULS UND ATMUNG IM KINDESALTER

Abstract

Pulse and respiratory rate of 47 boardingschool pupils aged between 6 and 13 were measured 1-2 hourly over 24 h under normal daily conditions. Individual frequency ratios (pulse-respiration-quotients) were determined from each measurement and subjected to further analysis. The findings from a collective of 50 adults in another investigatory series served as a comparison. The results were as follows: A relative frequency coordination was found in children similar to that observed in adults. However, there was no evidence of the development of an individual norm value, such as in particular the 4:1 frequency ratio which generally applies to adults. Instead of this, the findings present a broader spectrum of preferred integral frequency ratios, containing differences according to the time of day and also a certain age dependency. The higher values during the trophotropic sleep period in comparison to the ergotropic waking period were particularly noticeable. A uniform concept of normalisation cannot be applied to this period of growth because of the lack of an interindividual norm value, although an increase in frequency coordination during the trophotropic sleep period was found for some age-groups. As far as the coordinative and correlative relationship between pulse and respiratory rate are concerned, puberty proved to be a phase of instability from a chronobiological standpoint as well.