ABSTRACT
Developments in the care of neonatal respiratory disorders have relied on close monitoring of the physiological state of the infant. Measurements of heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature form the basis of the monitoring of any sick child, while measurement of blood gases and acid-base state are particularly important in respiratory disease. In ventilated infants, it is also possible to monitor the interaction of the infant with the ventilator (p. 157). The clinical interpretation of data provided by monitoring requires a knowledge of the underlying physiology and an understanding of the limitations of the measuring devices.
