Your patient is a? four-year-old boy with a history of asthma. He ran out of his inhaled bronchodilator while visiting his? grandparents' farm. The patient has? pale, cool, moist skin with cyanosis of his nail beds. He has audible wheezing with a respiratory rate of? 18, accessory muscle? use, and a heart rate of 130. He appears? fatigued, he is unable to speak more than one or two words at a? time, and his head bobs with each breath. Which of the following best describes this? patient's respiratory? status?

A. The child is in the early stages of his asthma? attack, and is showing signs of respiratory distress.
B. The? child's asthma was exacerbated by exercise and he is therefore tired. Rest will ease his respiratory distress.
C. Because of decreased? respiratory, cardiovascular, and stored energy? reserves, the? child's muscles have fatigued and he is now in respiratory failure.
D. The patient is having some respiratory? difficulty; however, a nebulizer treatment will likely correct all issues.

Ans: C. Because of decreased? respiratory, cardiovascular, and stored energy? reserves, the? child's muscles have fatigued and he is now in respiratory failure.