Frequency parents guide
Frequency Movie Review | Common Sense Media
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that there are some very tense scenes, with characters in peril, and that there are some grisly shots of dead bodies. A character drinks to anesthetize sorrow. There is a lot of smoking, though the movie makes it clear that smoking leads to lung cancer.
Community Reviews
Tim R. Adult
January 1, 2019
age 14+
What parents need to know
While this film has some positive messages about father and son relationships, there are a few things that may not be appropriate for younger viewers. There is talk of sexual assault, photos of dead females, one scene where the father finds a dead nurse with her blouse torn open and her bra explosed, and a scene with a close-up of a man getting his hand blown off with a shotgun. There is also a scene where the young son finds the perp on top of his mother in bed, pinning her down. In addition to violence there is also some adult language. The sexual violence is mostly inferred and not directly shown.
This title has:
Great messages
Too much violence
2 people found this helpful.
Dragon Wolf888 YT Adult
August 12, 2018
age 10+
My favourite non-animated movie
I think this movie is a very good movie and any kid 11 and up should be able to and should watch it. This movie makes you think ahead and plan to find out what happens. The ending is very interesting and I’m not going to spoil it so you can watch this movie as well and enjoy hopefully as much as I did. This movie is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At some points it is emotional but even has some funny part... IT HAS EVERYTHING. Would recommend to everyone.
This title has:
Great messages
Great role models
1 person found this helpful.
What's the Story?
John (James Caviezel), a policeman, is deeply sad in a way that isolates him from everyone around him, because of the loss of his firefighter father, Frank, 30 years ago. When John is able to talk to Frank (Dennis Quaid) over his old ham radio, John saves his father's life by warning him to turn the other way when trying trying to escape a fire. But in changing history, John and Frank have set into motion a chain of events that will result in an even deeper tragedy. The policeman and the fireman, 30 years apart, try to track a killer before he strikes very close to home. As every event in 1969 has ripple effects into 1999, only John can remember all of the parallel strands. Old newspaper clippings change before his eyes, and events from 30 years before change the way he sees the world in the present. Like George Bailey in It's a Wonderful Life, John gets to see how one person can make all the difference.
Is It Any Good?
In FREQUENCY, Caviezel perfectly conveys John's sense of loss and his integrity, subtly showing us how each set of experiences affected his behavior and his life in a different way.
His talks with Frank are very moving. Quaid has his best role since The Big Easy and gets a chance to let viewers see his enormous charm in the character's devotion to his family and his job. As Frank's wife/John's mom, Elizabeth Mitchell is lovely, warm, and, in a scene with André Braugher as Frank's policeman friend, as strong and determined as her husband and son.
That said, things do get pretty confusing. This is one of those movies where the audience walks out saying things like, "Wait a minute! You mean when the guy came down the stairs it meant ... ?" "How did that other guy get there?" But it's good enough that, like The Sixth Sense, fans may want to watch again just to straighten it all out. Warning, though: It has some of the worst old-age make-up ever.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the interconnectedness of everything we do -- and don't do. Talk about the way that John and Frank made their talks about baseball into a way for them to feel close to one another.
Watching this movie can also be a good opportunity to talk about how we tend to take precious family connections for granted until they're gone, and to ask family members what they'd say or ask if they had a chance to talk to someone close to them who has died. It can also be a good opportunity to remind us to say those things now, while we can.
Movie Details
- In theaters: April 28, 2000
- On DVD or streaming: October 31, 2000
- Cast: Dennis Quaid, Elizabeth Mitchell, James Caviezel
- Director: Gregory Hoblit
- Studio: New Line
- Genre: Thriller
- Run time: 118 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: language, intense and gory scenes, peril, and violence
- Last updated: December 1, 2022
Frequency (2016) TV Review | Common Sense Media
A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Frequency is a TV adaption of a 2000 movie about communicating with the past via radio technology. It discusses issues such as serial killing and police corruption, as well as more supernatural themes such as the existence of parallel, flexible timelines. Shootings and human remains are shown (but the images aren't bloody). Occasional depictions of light sexuality include people kissing and getting out of bed; language includes "hell" and "ass." Drinking (mostly beer) and cigar smoking are visible, too.
Community Reviews
Sh5D0W10RD Adult
November 11, 2018
age 15+
Horrible story development
This show has some of the worst development in a story I have ever seen. When a character could easily do something to finish the story or advance the plot, the character does the total opposite, and makes the story go on even longer, and everything worse.
The writing of these characters are horrible, and drag the the regular 45 min show to feel like its 2 hours long. Horrible story and do not reccomend
This title has:
Too much violence
Too much swearing
Too much drinking/drugs/smoking
Melanie R. Adult
November 12, 2016
age 12+
Next series
Breathe of fresh air I love this and only on episode 4 but don't want to be told there isn't a second series...does anyone know if there will be more? Great new and fresh storyline and needing more!!
What's the Story?
Based on the 2000 film of the same name, FREQUENCY is a dramatic series about a woman who communicates with her father two decades after his suspicious death. NYPD Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) was found dead after going deep undercover, leaving his wife Julie (Devin Kelley) and his young daughter behind and the general public believing that he was corrupt.
Twenty years later, NYPD Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) is building her own law enforcement career under the supervision of her dad's best friend, Police Chief Satch Rayna (Mekhi Phifer), and enjoying her relationship with boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Lawrence). But an unexpected encounter via her dad's old ham radio reconnects Raimy with her father, who's still out there, transmitting from 1996. The past is changed thanks to their exchanges -- but not without devastating consequences. As a result, they have to find ways to rewrite events without wiping out everything (and everyone) they care about in the process.
Is It Any Good?
This series offers viewers an emotionally charged, supernaturally driven crime story that relies on the idea that parallel timelines exist. Stories transition between past and present with relative ease, and the writing offers enough explanation to reduce confusion. Meanwhile, most of Frequency's suspense comes from the resulting "butterfly effect," or the massive impact small actions made in one timeline have on the other.
The revival of a deep father-daughter connection, and the efforts to clear the name of a loyal police officer, make the overall story feel very human, if not predictable at times. But Frequency's dramatic nod to the notion that time and space are flexible (a concept touted by real-life string and chaos theories) gives it the oomph needed to keep viewers tuned in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what it would be like to be able to communicate with the past or go back and change it, like in Frequency. What would you change? Why? Do you think it would change the person you are today?
What is a ham radio? Did you know that early ham radio inventors and users made major contributions to science, engineering, and industry? What role has the ham radio played in times of emergency in this country?
TV Details
- Premiere date: October 5, 2016
- Cast: Peyton List, Riley Smith, Mekhi Phifer
- Network: CW
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: October 13, 2022
Guidelines for parents on the birth and upbringing of a healthy child
Topic No.
1
Environmental health program for pregnant women. Part 1
Conditions for a healthy conception
Structure of a wellness program
ABC of pregnancy and childbirth
Structure of an ecological wellness program for pregnant women and future babies
Physical education
Adaptive gymnastic complex
Osteopathy - a new look at pregnancy and childbirth
Complex of osteopathic gymnastics
Rest and relaxation between contractions
Gymnastics in trimesters
Traditional plastic surgery for the expectant mother
Psychophysiological complex to optimize the functioning of the digestive system
Ensuring environmental safety
Drainage therapy
Homeopathy: a pharmacy within us
Preventive measures to ensure environmental safety
Topic № 2 Ecological health program for pregnant women.
Part 2
Nutrition
Specialized food products for pregnant women and nursing mothers
Biologically active supplements (BAA) from plant materials
About vitamins
About minerals
Recommendations for proper nutrition
Recommendations for ensuring the quality and safety of food
Advice from an allergist of the expectant mother
Hardening
Dental prophylaxis during pregnancy
Improving body resistance
Aromatherapy
Prevention of the formation of "stretch marks" of the skin in pregnant women
Prevention of varicose veins
Application of biofeedback (BFB) to normalize the psychophysiological processes of the body of pregnant women and prepare for childbirth
Corrective and health-improving course for pregnant women using the BFB method
Course of individual preparation for childbirth
Theme № 3
Ecological health program for pregnant women.
Part 3
Normalization of the psychological microclimate
Visualization
Traditions of experiencing loss
Factors affecting the health of the unborn child during the mother's pregnancy
About the life and upbringing of the child before birth
Education in the womb
Conversations - letters
Music therapy
Nurturing babies in traditional folk culture
Carrying babies
Method of picking up a child
Nursing complex
Topic No. 4
Childbirth
Preparing for childbirth
Advice for successful childbirth
Natural methods of pain relief during labor
Optimal behavior during various periods of labor
Precursors of labor
First stage of labor - period of unfolding
Second stage - period of expulsion
Third period - afterbirth period
First hours after birth - Imprinting
Primary Imprinting
Secondary Imprinting
What do I need to take to the hospital?
What to cook at home for a newborn
Moral psychology and pedagogy during pregnancy and childbirth
Topic No.
5
Postpartum ecological health program
Exercising after childbirth
Some features of the newborn
Congenital reflexes in newborns
Newborn care
Baby sleep
Ways to help the baby fall asleep
Baby sleeping positions
Baby crying inconsolably
Baby nutrition
Breastfeeding4 Breastfeeding classification
for mother
Nursing mother's diet
Nursing mother's daily routine
World Health Organization's Hospital Smiles for Baby program
First breastfeeding
Feeding positions
Feeding technique
Breastfeeding problems
Cracked nipples
Breast engorgement
Lack of milk ( hypogalactia)
Signs of adequate milk supply
Milk volume
Frequency of feeding
Crisis of three months: refusal of the breast
Continuration of breastfeeding
Addition to breastfeeding
Tactics for the introduction of complementary foods
Mixed and artificial feeding
Adapted dairy mixtures for children
Vigans 9000
Theme No.
6
Ecological health program for children of the first year of life
Tempering
Physical Education
Child Development Contours
Methodology for Using the Child Development Checklist in the Family
Structure of the Child Development Contour
Swimming
Crawling Track
Baby Neck Collar
Gymnastic Complexes
Ensuring Dental Safety in Infants04 900 90 Increasing the resistance of the child's body
Aromatherapy
Vaccination
Normalization of the psychological microclimate
Counseling of parents (medical and pedagogical)
Safe environment for the child
Emergency first aid for a child under 1 year old
Advice from specialists in raising young children
Nikitin's system
Games with a baby from 0 to 3 months
Designing a developing environment for the baby . Mobile
Development of intelligence
Speech therapist's advice
Organization of group lessons for parents with babies
Topic No.
7
Ecological health program for older children and teenagers. Provision of pre-hospital medical care
Ecological health program for children over one year old and adolescents
Day regimen for children from 2 to 7 years old
Nutrition
Tempering
Physical education
Methodology for conducting gymnastic complexes
Adaptive gymnastics for children over three years old and adults
Vorobyov's gymnastics
Gymnastic mini-complex for the normalization of the digestive system
Psychophysical complex for optimizing the functioning of the digestive system (Rudenko A.S.)
Eye gymnastics
Osteopathic breathing exercises for children and adults
Training path
Dental prophylaxis for preschool children and schoolchildren
Ensuring environmental safety
Taking homeopathic remedies
Increasing the body's resistance child
Parental counseling: pre-hospital care
Advice for parents on the management of acute respiratory infections in children
Advice for parents on the treatment of acute gastrointestinal disorders
Childhood infectious diseases
Homeopathic first aid kit
Emergency first aid
Theme № 8
Normalization of the psychological microclimate in the family.
Raising children older than a year and adolescents in the family
Moral psychology in pedagogy
Psychologist's advice to parents on ensuring the mental stability of children
Counseling parents: raising children over 1 year old and adolescents (experience of teachers and psychologists)
Cognitive activity of an infant
Child development according to the Montessori system
Experience of modern parents in raising children
Principles of positive parenting
Tools (methods) for work
Outlines of child development
Teaching reading to children from 0 to 7 years old
Topic No. 9
Environmental health program for teenagers and youth aged 14 to 19
Nutrition
Tempering
Physical education
Dental prophylaxis in adolescents and youth
Ensuring environmental safety
Increasing the overall resistance of the body
Vaccination
Normalization of the psychological microclimate
Factors that negatively affect the health of young people and their future offspring
Alcohol and smoking
Counterculture of the 21st century
"Free" love
Psychologist's advice on communicating with a child
About freedom and discipline in raising children
Topic № 10
Features of the traditional culture of preparation for the birth and upbringing of children in families of different faiths
Orthodox religion
From the experience of upbringing in Orthodox families
From the history of pedagogy
Non-Orthodox religions
Jewish religion
Muslim religion
Buddhist religion
Methodological materials for the educational process in the "School of parents"
guide for sensible parents”, Evgeniy Komarovsky – LitRes, page 4
2.
5. Local immunity Local immunity [13] is an extremely important phenomenon. And in relation to the topic of acute respiratory infections, this is, in principle, the most significant, key concept.
Answers to the most important questions related to the diagnosis and, most importantly, the treatment of acute respiratory infections are impossible if you do not receive information about local immunity.
The likelihood of a respiratory infection - the fundamental possibility or impossibility of getting sick - depends precisely on local immunity.
The frequency and severity of any acute respiratory disease is largely due to the state of local immunity.
The duration of the disease and the likelihood of complications are directly related to local immunity.
Disease prevention is largely determined by the strengthening of local immunity.
Well, in the end, the correct treatment of acute respiratory infections is almost always a help to local immunity.
* * *
Any microorganism, before coming into contact with the systems of specific or nonspecific immunity, must overcome external barriers, get through organs and tissues that perform an anatomical barrier function . That is, they are an anatomical barrier between the external environment and blood, internal organs. The list of these organs and these tissues is quite obvious: first of all, the skin, then the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, eyes, [14] stomach, intestines.
In the process of breathing, air comes into contact with the respiratory tract, and it is in the air that there are substances that are fundamentally dangerous for a person in general and for a child in particular - dust, fungi, viruses, bacteria, plant pollen, chemical irritants, etc.
The inner surface of the respiratory tract is the first to come into contact with air and, accordingly, with the listed hazards. This inner surface is represented by a special mucous membrane , [15] which, in turn, is covered with a thin epithelium .
[16]
Now let's stop using special terms for a while and try to create some conditional, but understandable image for everyone.
So, we have a fortress surrounded on all sides by numerous enemies.
This fortress is a human organism. And inside the fortress there are many warriors who can repel almost any aggression (general immunity). Nevertheless, whether these warriors enter the battle or not depends primarily on the state of the fortress wall and whether the enemies can break through this wall.
The fortress wall is the local immunity.
If the wall is high and strong, it is difficult to penetrate it, and most enemies will die ingloriously when they try to get over this wall. The host inside the fortress won't even need to intervene.
Weak wall, damaged, not repaired in time - the enemies now and then break into the fortress, where they, of course, meet a worthy rebuff, but this is a real war, losses, troubles .
.. In a word, this is already a disease. And the more often the enemy gets inside the fortress, the greater the losses in the camp of the defenders, the more difficult it is to quickly repel a new assault.
And no matter how wonderful, skillful, strong and brave the soldiers of the inner garrison may be, in the absence of a normal fortress wall they are practically doomed: to eternal battle, to constant illness.
It is not surprising in this regard that the commander of the fortress, respecting and encouraging the soldiers, cares first of all not about them, but about the fortress wall - this is more important, and even more profitable. Strengthen the foundation, lay holes, wash and paint the walls, cover wooden gates with protective varnish ... Now you can relax!
The system of local respiratory protection is represented by two layers of defense, two groups of factors: physical and chemical.
• Physical factors are real anatomical barriers, real mechanical actions that can prevent enemies from entering.
• Chemical factors are numerous protective substances produced by the body.
We know very well some physical factors, moreover, we constantly use them. Coughing and sneezing are wonderful ways to remove from the respiratory tract everything that local immunity considers bad and wrong. There are other physical protection mechanisms as well. It's not in vain that we started talking about the epithelium. So, the epithelium covering the inner surface of the posterior parts of the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, has special outgrowths - eyelashes . [17] Cilia are moistened with mucus and constantly fluctuate, as a result, “harmful things” that have settled on the surface of the epithelium are brought out.
Thus, the factors of physical protection of the respiratory tract are represented by four main mechanisms:
• cough;
• sneezing;
• mucus production;
• work of the ciliated epithelium.
All of the listed mechanisms are understandable and do not need additional clarifying lyrical digressions.
Well, except that “ciliated epithelium” is a new and not quite obvious term for most readers, it’s not coughing, sneezing and everyone familiar with blowing mucus.
Imagine a field heavily planted with wheat. And a certain butterfly is trying to get through the ears and sit on the ground. It's going to be hard for her, isn't it? And the ears are still swaying all the time, do not allow the poor insect to rest and push the butterfly in a strictly defined direction - out of the field ... The analogy, perhaps not entirely obvious, but understandable: the field is the epithelium, the spikelets are cilia, the butterfly is a microbe ...
With chemical mechanisms, everything is many times more complicated. And not only because the number of chemical protection factors known to science is estimated at several dozen. Each substance performs a specific function.
The implementation of all these functions is closely interconnected, many functions are duplicated. Some substances are always present, others come into the fight episodically, when a breakthrough has occurred at the previous stage. That is, the system of local immunity has numerous variants of the most diverse defensive and offensive weapons, hidden reserves, poisons and antidotes.
Consider, for example, several protection mechanisms.
Bacteria are trying to land troops, settle on the surface of the mucous membrane and form a settlement colony there. To do this, they produce special substances in order, to put it simply, to stick, gain a foothold and quietly multiply. The system of local immunity with the help of special components neutralizes the "stickiness" of bacteria. If there is no opportunity to fix on the surface, then there can be no question of any reproduction in principle. This very important defense mechanism even received a special and extremely scientific name - " colonization resistance ".
The mucus we've already talked about works on two fronts. That is, on the one hand, it implements physical protection mechanisms (forms a protective elastic film on the surface of the respiratory tract, creates conditions for the operation of the ciliated epithelium, envelops dust particles, etc.). On the other hand, mucus contains a huge amount of a wide variety of substances that provide chemical defense mechanisms. [18]
Any microbe that comes into contact with the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, with the maximum possible probability, will be neutralized by this membrane: immobilized, destroyed, dissolved. At the same time, in addition to mucus poisonous to microbes, neutrophils and phagocytes will also join the battle, if necessary.
Local immunity will give a command to the body's regulatory systems and, if necessary, prepare for military operations - it will expand the bronchi, increase the blood supply to the mucous membranes.
Local immunity also has a whole system of specific protection. It is represented by special antibodies, which are called secretory immunoglobulins . [19] These are actually analogues of antibodies, only at the local level. Secretory immunoglobulins recognize enemies, neutralize viruses and bacterial toxins, it is they who assess how great the danger is. And if it is really great, if it is impossible to repel the attack, it is the immunoglobulins with a special biochemical bond that inform special mast cells . Well, already mast cells announce a general mobilization, chemical factors of non-specific defense are pulled up to the place of the breakthrough of the aggressor, and combat cells - phagocytes - rush there.
The description of the possibilities of local immunity can be continued for a very, very long time.
You can talk about how general and local immunity exchange information with each other.
Very interesting story - a story about good microbes.
Bacteria in the respiratory tract can, it turns out, live not just anywhere, but in very specific areas. And all these areas are inhabited. They are inhabited by good microbes that are familiar to the body, which do not emit toxins, live for themselves and live, are friends with the local immunity system and train it. And most importantly, strangers are not allowed into habitable places. These good microbes are, in fact, the third (biological) layer of defense, the third mechanism of local immunity. And this protection option even received a special name - colonization immunity .
A huge flock of peaceful sparrows sits on the branches of a tree. Titmouse, goldfinches and finches fly nearby. They are also not averse to sit down, but it doesn’t work out: all the branches are busy. And do not drive the sparrows away, because you cannot be sure that the titmouse will sit in the vacant seats - the crows may also appear ...
* * *
We have to state with sadness that the importance and significance of the concept of “local immunity” fully corresponds to the complexity of the topic under discussion.
Even a superficial acquaintance leads to the fact that the author is forced to use a huge number of learned and incomprehensible words. And this can cause the reader quite natural rejection, rejection, unwillingness to strain, delve into and get involved.
But local immunity cannot be brushed aside, and we simply must get to the bottom of the matter in any way. Therefore, let's proceed as follows: we agree in advance that an understandable explanation is not always a scientifically correct explanation . Well, the inaccuracies and mistakes of the author can be forgiven, provided that the readers have made the correct conclusions .
Agreed? So that's great! Then let's forget everything we talked about in this chapter and consider the topic of local immunity again.
2.6. Once again about local immunity
Local immunity is an extremely important phenomenon. And in relation to the topic of acute respiratory infections, this is, in principle, the most significant, key concept.
Answers to the most important questions related to the diagnosis and, most importantly, the treatment of acute respiratory infections are impossible if you do not receive information about local immunity.
* * *
Ten to twenty thousand liters of air pass through the human respiratory tract every day. There are many microbes in this air, and every second, every minute, billions of billions of microorganisms enter our nose, mouth, lungs, including those that can cause acute respiratory infections.
The vast majority of these microbes die right there - in the nose, in the mouth, in the bronchi. The fact is that the inner surface of the respiratory tract produces mucus, and the mucus contains special substances that can destroy both viruses and bacteria.
The body's ability to keep microbes out and neutralize them directly at the point of contact is called local immunity.
General immunity will begin to operate when local immunity fails. And this will mean the emergence of the disease.
No matter how good the general immunity is, whether a particular child will have an acute respiratory disease or not depends, first of all, on the state of the local immunity.
It is clear that both the severity of acute respiratory infections and the frequency of acute respiratory infections depend on many factors, and we will repeatedly consider these factors in this book.
But the most important and most fundamental regularity should be familiarized already now:
the severity of acute respiratory infections and the likelihood of complications is determined, first of all, by the state of general immunity;
• The frequency of acute respiratory infections is determined primarily by the state of local immunity.
Yes, every hedgehog can curl up into a ball. But a self-respecting hedgehog can still explain how, when and why he does it.
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3.1. Anatomy and Physiology
The author perfectly understands the impatience of readers who are simply eager to quickly move on to specific diseases and clear advice on what to do with coughs, high fevers and stuffy noses. But be patient a little more ...
Starting the translation into Russian of the abbreviation ORZ, we have already defined the special term " respiratory" , clarified that this word is of Latin origin and means " relating to breathing, to the respiratory tract."
Since the topic of our book is respiratory diseases , there is a need for specific information about what the respiratory system is in general and the respiratory tract in particular, how they are arranged and how they work, and, most importantly, what are the features of the respiratory system exactly in children.
In the previous chapters, we have repeatedly used anatomical terms related to the respiratory tract. Both the author and readers pretended that the meaning of the words "bronchi", "larynx", "trachea", "lungs" is well known to everyone. And indeed, everyone at school studied, studied, passed. Gone...
However, the answers to questions about where the trachea is, what the larynx is for, and how the lungs work don't seem so obvious. Well, more insidious topics that affect highly specialized terms such as “alveoli”, “maxillary sinus” and “ethmoid bone” are, in principle, mysterious and covered in the darkness of ignorance.
Consideration of the topic of acute respiratory infections will inevitably lead to the fact that we will have to discuss numerous diseases of the respiratory tract. Most of these diseases have their own special name, and this name comes from a specific anatomical term: bronchitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, etc., etc.
The terminological connection between the name of the organ and the name of the disease is far from always obvious. That is, you can easily guess that bronchitis is something with the bronchi, and tracheitis is something with the trachea. At the same time, not all readers will be able to grasp the connection between laryngitis and the larynx, between the pharynx and pharyngitis without special knowledge.
It is quite obvious that we cannot do without a little digression into the special terminology, anatomy and physiology of the respiratory organs. Recall that anatomy explains how the respiratory organs are arranged, and physiology answers the question of how they work .
* * *
Human metabolism requires the constant presence of oxygen and is accompanied by the constant formation of carbon dioxide. Far from the only, but the main task of the respiratory system is to deliver oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.
Oxygen is contained in the inhaled air, and the first task of the respiratory organs is to deliver air to where gas exchange will take place . Air is transported by the respiratory tract.
Beginning of the respiratory tract - nasal cavity; followed by the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi and, finally, the smallest bronchi - bronchioles.
The part of the respiratory tract, consisting of the nose, pharynx and larynx, is called the generic term " upper respiratory tract ".
Accordingly, " lower respiratory tract " are the trachea, bronchi and bronchioles.
Gas exchange takes place in the lungs . Lung tissue consists of a huge number of small vesicles - alveoli . Vessels approach and depart from the alveoli, and the corresponding bronchioles deliver air.
* * *
It should be noted that the respiratory system of the fetus does not work. The exchange of gases is carried out through the so-called placental circulation . Immediately after birth, the child takes the first breath, the airways and lungs are filled with air - the baby begins to breathe like a human.
At the same time, in young children, all organs of the respiratory system both in structure and functionality differ significantly from those in adults, are immature and continue to grow and improve actively for several years.
It is generally accepted that the formation of the respiratory organs ends, basically, by the age of seven.
Growth, of course, continues, but after seven years we can talk not so much about the features of functioning, but about an increase in size and nothing more.
However, size matters. And not small, to say the least! After all, it is with a relatively small size that is associated with the main feature of children's respiratory tract - their narrowness , which greatly increases the likelihood of difficulty breathing during inflammation and accumulation of mucus.
The mucous membrane of the respiratory tract also has its own characteristics - it is thin, easily damaged, but there are many vessels in it. There are many vessels, but there are few glands that produce mucus, moreover, those glands that exist are underdeveloped. As a result, the amount of mucus does not always meet the needs, and the protective properties of mucus, and the physical characteristics of mucus (viscosity, elasticity) leave much to be desired. It is not difficult to guess what this leads to - it is in children that inflammation develops quickly and easily, swelling occurs, the resulting mucus does not perform its functions, making breathing even more difficult.
Each specific organ of the respiratory tract has its own age characteristics - both anatomical and physiological.
Let's start with nose .
After inhalation, the air enters the nasal passages , where it is processed - cleaned, warmed, moistened. There are three nasal passages in an adult - upper, middle and lower. So, in young children, the lower nasal passage is absent - it is formed only by the age of four.
Theoretically, the inhaled air enters the so-called paranasal sinuses - special cavities in the bones of the skull. [20] In the paranasal sinuses, the air is additionally heated and humidified. The author used the word “theoretically” because the paranasal sinuses are underdeveloped in young children.
The lack of a lower nasal passage and the inability of the paranasal sinuses to perform their functions lead to the fact that young children become extremely sensitive to the physical and chemical characteristics of the air.
It is clear, after all, that the baby's ability to purify, moisten and warm the air is incomparable with that of an adult.
While crying, everyone (both children and adults) sniffles. This is because excess tears flow down the so-called nasolacrimal duct into the nasal cavity. The nasolacrimal duct has valves, thanks to which the liquid moves in a strictly defined direction - from the eye to the nose, of course, and not vice versa. The age-related feature of the nasolacrimal duct is that in infants it is short and wide, and the valves are underdeveloped. The consequence of this is that the inflammatory process from the nasal mucosa can easily pass to the mucous membrane of the eye.
Passing through the nasal passages, the air enters the pharynx , then the larynx . The entrance to the larynx is covered by the epiglottis . The epiglottis prevents food and water from entering the respiratory tract - it closes the entrance to the larynx during swallowing and is a cartilaginous plate that is located at the base of the tongue.
Air can also enter the pharynx through the mouth. It is clear that in this case it (the air) will not be processed (i.e. it will not be cleaned, heated, humidified). We will talk about the consequences of breathing through the mouth more than once in other chapters, but now we note the following. Newborns and children of the first 4-6 months of life very often cannot breathe through their mouths at all. This is largely due to anatomical features - the pharynx is small, and the tongue and epiglottis are relatively large.
Another extremely important feature of the pharynx is that in children it is much higher than in adults, and this allows the baby to swallow liquid food in a horizontal position.
The pharynx is connected to the ear cavity through a special channel - Eustachian tube . It is clear that there is a tube for each ear, and there are only two of them. The Eustachian tubes in children are short and wide, more horizontal than in adults. It is not surprising in this regard that frequent inflammation of the ear in children is microbes from nasopharynx easily enters the ear cavity.
Readers must have paid attention to the word "nasopharynx" - we did not say that before. "Nasopharynx" is a term very often used by doctors. The fact is that it is rather difficult to determine the anatomical boundary between the nasal cavity and the pharynx. Both of these organs function in a very close relationship, many microbes cause simultaneous damage to both the nose and the pharynx, so saying the phrase “inflammation of the nasopharynx” is both convenient and appropriate.
In the pharynx there are also tonsils - formations from the so-called lymphoid tissue. [21] Immediately behind the arches that separate the oral cavity from the pharynx, there are palatine tonsils , and above, approximately where the nasal passages end, the pharyngeal tonsil . [22] In newborns, the tonsils are underdeveloped, they can be seen not earlier than six months (as a rule, after all, not earlier than one year).
A child's larynx is made up of thin muscles, delicate ligaments, and a few highly mobile cartilages.
By the way, the epiglottis already mentioned by us also refers to the cartilages of the larynx. The main physiological feature of the larynx is that it is not only a respiratory organ, but also the main organ of voice formation. In the lumen of the larynx, in its narrowest place, called glottis , there are vocal cords . [23] The tension of the ligaments and the distance between them (i.e. the dimensions of the glottis) change, and the exhaled air creates sounds.
The continuation of the larynx and the beginning of the lower respiratory tract is the trachea . The trachea is a tubular organ consisting of cartilaginous half-rings and a muscular membrane stretched between them. After passing through the neck, the trachea enters the chest and bifurcates: it forms two bronchi - right and left, they are also called the main bronchi. It is quite obvious that the right main bronchus delivers air to the right lung, and the left to the left. Each lung is divided into share .
The left lung has two lobes, the right has three. Accordingly, the main bronchi are divided into lobar bronchi, and the lobar bronchi are divided into segmental ones, since the lobes of the lung, in turn, consist of segments .
So, gradually dividing, increasing in number and decreasing in diameter, the airways end. The smallest bronchi - terminal bronchioles - deliver air to alveoli . Gas exchange begins.
It is impossible not to mention that the lungs are covered with a thin film - pleura . The pleura consists of two sheets - one sheet is tightly connected to the outer surface of the lungs, the other - to the inner surface of the chest. Between the two layers of the pleura there is a special fluid that ensures the free sliding of the lungs during inhalation and exhalation.
Inhalation and exhalation is provided by respiratory muscles, for example, intercostal muscles, but the main respiratory muscle is diaphragm . The diaphragm separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity and, by contracting, increases the vertical size of the chest.
The most important physiological feature of the child's body is a very active metabolism. The obvious consequence is that a child needs much more oxygen than an adult. The main way to satisfy this need is more frequent breathing and an obvious inverse relationship between age and respiratory rate: the smaller the child, the more breathing movements he makes per unit time.
An increase in the frequency of respiratory movements is designated by a special term - shortness of breath . For children, therefore, physiological dyspnea is characteristic, , i.e., dyspnea is normal, natural.
The normal respiratory rate, depending on age, is as follows: newborns - 40-60 breaths per minute, 6 months - 35-40, 1-2 years - 30-35; 5-6 years old - about 25, 10 years old - 18-20, adults - 15-16. [24]
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Now, armed with information about anatomy, we have the opportunity to get acquainted with many special terms - scary, interesting, very and not very common, not always clear.
13. We kindly request: if the content of this chapter seems too complicated for you, do not get upset and do not strain, but immediately go to chapter 2.6.
14. The outer layer of the eye is called the conjunctiva. We’ll talk about this later, but now we’ll just note that many viruses are able to penetrate the human body through the conjunctiva.
15. The mucous membrane is so named because its structure contains special cells capable of producing mucus. Accordingly, the mucous membrane is covered with mucus. Mucus is a special viscous liquid that performs certain biological functions (protection, moisturizing, etc.)
16. Epithelium is a common name for a special type of tissue that covers all surfaces of the human body: the surface of the body (skin epithelium), the surface of internal cavities - the stomach cavity, bladder cavity, etc., the surface of all tubes and tubules - vascular epithelium , the epithelium of the bile ducts and, of course, the epithelium of the respiratory tract.
17. It is not surprising that the epithelium of the respiratory tract received the anatomical name "ciliated epithelium".
18. In order not to be unfounded, the author is simply forced to list at least the main components, the main chemical protection factors that make up the mucus. I apologize in advance for the untranslatable and hard-to-pronounce especially learned words. I cite them only so that readers are imbued with additional respect for the concept of “local immunity”. So, the composition of mucus includes interferon, lysozyme, mucin, complement, interleukins, immunoglobulins, prostaglandins, antioxidants, transferrin, lactoferrin, cytokines, cecropins, alpha-antitrypsin, lysosomal enzymes ... Once again, I apologize ...
19. There are several types of secretory immunoglobulins. The main role is played by immunoglobulins "A" and "M". In the special literature, they are usually designated as follows: SIgA (secretory immunoglobulin A) and, accordingly, SIgM.
