How to Pronounce See-Saw Breathing
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
See-Saw Breathing Pronunciation
SEE-SAW BREE-thing
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
SEE
stress here
SAW BREE
stress here
thing
3 syllables
What is See-Saw Breathing?
An abnormal breathing pattern in infants where the chest wall draws inward while the abdomen pushes outward during inspiration (instead of both moving outward together), indicating respiratory distress or upper airway obstruction. It reflects excessive use of abdominal muscles when the chest wall is compliant.
Questions About See-Saw Breathing
How do you pronounce 'see-saw breathing'?
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Say it like this: "SEE-saw BREE-thing." The first word rhymes with the word "see," the second word sounds like "saw" (the tool), and the third word is "breathing" with a long E sound. Put the stress on "SEE" in the first word and "BREE" in the second word.
Why is it called 'see-saw' breathing?
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It's called "see-saw" because of how a see-saw works—one end goes up while the other goes down. In this breathing pattern, the chest moves inward while the belly moves outward at the same time, just like opposite ends of a see-saw moving in different directions.
Can you break 'see-saw breathing' into syllables?
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Sure! "See-saw breathing" breaks down like this: SEE-saw BREE-thing. That's four syllables total: "SEE" (1), "saw" (2), "BREE" (3), and "thing" (4).
What's the difference between saying 'see-saw' and 'seesaw'?
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You can say it either way—both "see-saw" (with a hyphen) and "seesaw" (as one word) are correct. In medical writing, you'll often see it written as two words: "see-saw breathing." Just remember to stress the first syllable: SEE-saw.
What do the word parts 'see-saw' and 'breathing' each mean?
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"See-saw" describes a back-and-forth or up-and-down motion, like the playground equipment. "Breathing" comes from the word "breathe," meaning to take air in and out. Together, they describe a movement pattern that happens during breathing.
What's a simpler way to understand what 'see-saw breathing' means?
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Think of it as a mismatch in breathing movements: normally, your chest and belly move outward together when you breathe in. In see-saw breathing, they move in opposite directions—one goes in while the other goes out, like a see-saw.
What's a common mistake when pronouncing this term?
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A common mistake is putting the stress on "SAW" instead of "SEE"—saying "see-SAW breathing" instead of "SEE-saw breathing." Remember: the first syllable gets the emphasis, just like when you're on the playground piece of equipment.
Is there an abbreviation for 'see-saw breathing'?
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There isn't a standard short abbreviation for this term in medical writing. Doctors and nurses usually just say or write out the full term: "see-saw breathing."