Vital signs

1. PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
• Paediatrics and Child Health
• Vital Signs At Various Ages
Dr. Chongo Shapi (BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ)
- Medical Doctor.
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 1

2. Heart Rate (HR)
Age Beats per minute (bpm)
Premature 120-170
0-3 months 100-150
3-6 months 90-120
6-12 months 80-120
1-3 years 70-110
3-6 years 65-110
6-12 years 60-95
12 + years 55-85
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 2

3. HR in Sleep
• May drop significantly lower, but if perfusion
is maintained, no intervention is required
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ. 3

4. Blood Pressure (BP)
Age BP in mmHg
Premature 55-75/35-45
0-3 months 65-85/45-55
3-6 months 70-90/50-65
6-12 months 80-100/55-65
1-3 years 90-105/55-70
3-6 years 95-110/60-75
6-12 years 100-120/60-75
12 + years 110-135/65-85
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 4

5. • A blood pressure cuff should cover
approximately 2/3 of the arm; too small cuff
yields spuriously high pressure readings, and
too large a cuff yields spuriously low pressure
readings
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 5

6. Poor Perfusion
• To help define poor perfusion, the lower limit of
systolic BP should be:
❖< 60 mmHg for neonates
❖< 70 mmHg from 1 month to 1 year
❖< 70 + 2x age from 1-10 years
❖< 90 mmHg if older than age 10 years
Normal capillary refill time (CRT) is less or equal to
2 seconds
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 6

7. Respiratory Rate (RR)
Age Breaths/minute (b/m)
Premature 40-70
0-3 months 35-55
3-6 months 30-45
6-12 months 25-40
1-3 years 20-30
3-6 years 20-25
6-12 years 14-22
12 + years 12-18
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 7

8. Respiratory Rate
• In general:
a. Neonate: < 60 b/m
b. 2 months to 1 year: < 50 b/m
c. 1-5 years: < 40 b/m
The 60, 50, 40 Rule
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 8

9. • Many premature infants require mechanical
ventilatory support making their spontaneous
RR less relevant
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 9

10. Temperature
• Normal range for humans is CONSTANT
throughout life
• Premature infants and small term infants may
have difficulty maintaining their appropriate core
temperature if they are left uncovered in a cool
environment
• Infants may not be able to generate an elevated
temperature in response to infection
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 10

11. The END!
2/21/2013 Dr. Chongo Shapi, BSc.HB, MBChB, CUZ 11