In a patient simulator in particular premature infant, newborn or infant simulator, comprising a thorax replication, which comprises a chest replication with at least one liftable and lowerable chest element for simulating a lifting and lowering of the thorax, abdominal wall mechanics, which comprise an abdominal wall replication with at least one liftable and lowerable abdominal wall element for simulating a lifting and lowering of the abdominal wall, a lung simulator, an anatomical trachea replication opening out into a cavity, an anatomical oesophagus replication opening out into a cavity and a control unit, the patient simulator includes at least one sensor whose sensor data is transmitted to the control unit to determine whether the ventilation gas supplied to the patient simulator is conducted into the trachea replication or into the oesophagus replication.