Pediatric 101 Vital Signs

DCAM Pediatric Clinic, the University of Chicago

Emergency Room, the La Rabida Children Hospital

Basic Vital Sign Blood Pressure (BP)

Temperature (T)
Normal:
Rectal T: < 100.4F
Axial/oral T: <99.5F
Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion
o
C 35
36
37
38
39
o
F 95.0 96.8 98.6 100.4 102.2

Age

40
104.0

41
42
105.8 107.6

Heart Rate/Pulse & Respiratory Rate

Normal Values:
Age
Newborn
6 mo
1-5 yr
6 yr
8 yr
10 yr
12 yr
14 yr
16 yr
18 yr

P (at rest)
Beats/min

RR (at rest)
Breaths/min

100 - 180
80 - 160
80 - 130
75 - 115
70 - 110
70 - 110
F 70 -110 M 65 -105
F 65 -105 M 60 -100
F 60 -100 M 55 - 95
F 55 - 95 M 50 - 90

30 - 60
25 - 40
20 - 30
18 - 25
18 - 25
15 - 20
12 - 20
12 20
12 20
12 - 20

Measure in 6 seconds (multiple by 4) or in 15 seconds

(multiple by 4)
Assess these vital signs when the child is resting quietly or
sleeping if possible, if agitated or crying make a note.
Use a stethoscope to measure HR in kids less than 2yrs old

Newborn
6 mo
1 yr
2 yr
4 yr
6 yr
8 yr
10 yr
12 yr
14 yr
16 yr
18 yr

BP (at rest)
90th percentile (systolic/diastolic)
F
M
76 / 68
87 / 68
106 / 65
105 /66
105 / 67
105 / 69
105 / 69
106 / 68
107 / 69
108 / 69
111 / 70
111 / 70
114 / 72
114 / 73
117 / 75
117 / 75
122 / 78
121 / 77
125 / 81
126 / 78
127 / 81
131 / 81
127 / 80
136 / 84

Hold forearm at the level of the heart.

Assess BP when the child is resting quietly if possible, if
agitated or crying make a note
Use the correct cuff size: The width should be approximately
40 % of the circumference of the upper arm. The length should
encircle 100 percent of the circumference of the upper arm. A
cuff that is too small falsely elevates BP.
If BP cannot be measure in the arms, can measure on the thigh
using an adult cuff, listening in the popliteal fossa. This
measurement averages 10mmHg higher than BP taken in the
arm

DCAM Nurse Triage

Vital Sign Oxygen Saturation
Normal Values: 95% and above at room air

Well- Child Visit Triage (pending)

Children <=2 yrs: Wt, Lt, HC, Temp
Children 3 yrs: Wt, Ht, BP, Temp

Sick- Child Visit Triage

Vital Sign Pain Perception

Wt, Temp

Wong-Baker Pain Scale can be used in children >3yrs old

Blood Pressure Measurement only for

Well Check-Up: 3 years
Sick Visits: only for children with headache and chest pain
ADHD management

Oxygen Saturation Measurement only for patients

Be sure to note how many points the assessment is out of
(ex. 3 out of 5 = 3/5)

with wheezing or difficult breathing

06/10/09

Pediatric 101 Measurements

DCAM Pediatric Clinic, the University of Chicago
Emergency Room, the Ra Rabida Children Hospital

Measurements Weight (Wt)

Measurements Length/Height (Lt/Ht)

Normal Values: Weight

Kg
Pounds (lbs)
At birth 3.25
7
2mo
5
11 (2 lb/mo)
5mo
6.5 (2x birth wt) 14 (2x birth wt)
1yr
10
22
Tip: > 1 yr
rule 5 (gain 5-6 pounds/yr)

Normal Values: Length/Height

Cm
Inches
At birth 50
20
1yr
75
30
Tip: > 1yr rule half of 5 (2.5 inches/yr)

Kilograms to pounds conversion: 1kg = 2.2lbs

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Calculation: Weight (lbs) x 703/Height (inch)2
Weight (kg) / Height (meter)2
Normal Values:
For girls: age + 13
For boys: age + 12
Can use childrens BMI table to estimate
Overweight
BMI between 85th and 90th of the upper age range for children
and teenagers
Obesity
BMI over 27 for adults and over 90th of the upper age range
for children and teenagers
Body weight exceeds 120% (95th percentile) of that expected
for their age, height, and gender

Centimeter to inches conversion: 1inch = 2.54cm

Length is measured with the child lying down
Height is measured with the child standing
Measure length until 3yrs old and plot on 0 to 36 mo. growth
chart. After 3, measure height and plot of 2 to 18yr growth
chart.

Head Circumference (HC)

Measure from occipital prominence to just above the eyebrows
at birth 34-35cm
0-3mo grows 2.0cm/month
4-6mo grows 1.0cm/month
7-12mo grows 0.5cm/month
1yr
46-47cm
12 cm increase for the 1st yr
Adult 55-58cm
Another 9-11 cm increase for whole life.

Kilogram to Pounds Conversion Table

kg
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Lb.
2.2
4.4
6.6
8.8
11.0
13.2
15.4
17.6
19.8
22.0

Kg
11
12
13
14
15
15
17
18
19
20

Lb.
24.2
26.4
28.6
30.8
33.0
35.2
37.4
39.6
41.8
44.0

Kg
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Lb.
46.2
48.5
50.7
52.9
55.1
57.3
59.5
71.7
63.9
66.1

Kg
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

Lb.

Kg
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

68.3
70.5
72.7
74.9
77.1
79.3
81.5
83.7
85.9
88.1

Lb.
90.3
92.5
94.7
97.0
99.2
101.4
103.6
105.8
108.0
110.2

Kg
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

Lb.
112.4
114.6
116.8
119.0
121.2
123.4
125.6
127.8
130.0
132.2

Kg
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70

Lb.
134.4
136.6
138.8
141.0
143.3
145.5
147.7
149.9
152.1
154.3

Kg
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80

Lb.
156.5
158.7
160.9
163.1
165.3
167.5
169.7
171.9
174.1
176.3

Kg
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90

Lb.
178.5
180.7
182.9
185.1
187.3
189.5
191.8
194.0
196.2
198.4

Kg
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100

Lb.
200.6
202.8
205.0
207.2
209.4
211.6
213.8
216.0
218.2
220.4

Inches to Centimeter Conversion

Inches
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

cm
2.54
5.08
7.62
10.1
12.7
15.2
17.7
20.3
22.8
25.4

Inches

cm

Inches

cm

Inches

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

27.9
30.4
33.0
35.5
38.1
40.6
43.1
45.7
48.2
50.8

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

53.3
55.8
58.4
60.9
63.5
66.0
68.5
71.1
73.6
76.2

31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40

cm
78.7
81.2
83.8
86.3
88.9
91.4
93.9
96.5
99.0
101.6

Inches
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50

cm
104.1
106.6
109.2
111.7
114.3
116.8
119.3
121.9
124.4
127.0

Inches
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60

cm
129.5
132.0
134.6
137.1
139.7
142.2
144.7
147.3
149.8
152.4

Inches
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70

cm
154.9
157.4
160.0
162.5
165.1
167.6
170.1
172.7
175.2
177.8

Inches
71
72
73
74

75
76
77
78
79
80

cm
180.3
182.8
185.4
187.9
190.5
193.0
195.5
198.1
200.6
203.2

06/10/09