What is the standard treatment for shallow breathing?

• A. Nebulized bronchodilators
• B. Positioning and observation
• C. Positive Pressure Ventilations
• D. Supplemental oxygen alone

Answer: (C)

Shallow breathing means the person isn’t delivering enough air to meet the body's needs, so the priority is to support ventilation and increase tidal volume. The standard treatment is positive pressure ventilation, typically with a bag-valve-mask and high-flow oxygen, to actively push air into the lungs and raise both ventilation and oxygenation until the patient can breathe adequately on their own or an advanced airway is secured. Simply observing or positioning can help in mild cases, but they don’t reliably correct the ventilation deficit. Providing oxygen alone helps with oxygen levels but won’t fix inadequate ventilation, so it isn’t sufficient by itself.