Final answer:
Pneumonia should be suspected if a patient's chest barely moves during inhalation, but their respiratory rate is normal, due to the fluid-filled alveoli inhibiting proper gas exchange.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a patient's chest barely moves during inhalation, even if the patient's respiratory rate is normal, we should suspect pneumonia. This condition is characterized by inflammation in the lungs, particularly in the alveoli, which become filled with fluid that inhibits gas exchange. Symptoms of pneumonia include difficulty breathing, coughing, and chest pain. Conditions like asthma, COPD, and neuromuscular disorders also affect breathing but present differently. Asthma typically involves episodes of constricted airways and wheezing, COPD is associated with chronic poor airflow and difficulty expelling air due to loss of alveolar elasticity, and neuromuscular disorders would more likely lead to weakened muscles and not just reduced chest movement without any changes in respiratory rate.