Pediatric Vital Signs - Normal Vital Signs for Children

The first cry of a baby is sweet music for the mother as well as the doctor or the nurse in charge of the delivery. That's one of the vital signs that the baby is normal. For that also the doctor has to hit the kid gently on the back, so that the baby cries and it clears his throat and the whole respiratory tract.
Apart from this, there are a few other signs which are essential for diagnosis of any medical problem in children. This branch of medicine is called pediatrics. Vital signs for kids includes systolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate and weight in kilos and pounds.

Normal Vital Signs for Pediatrics

Systolic Blood Pressure: This, in a layman's term is the lower limit of blood pressure. It is the blood pressure on the walls of the blood vessels when the heart chambers contract while driving the blood out of the heart. So let's check out age wise what should be the optimal range of systolic blood pressure.

• Newborn: For a newborn baby, the systolic blood pressure should be between 50 and 70 mm Hg. If it's not, then, an alarm could probably ring in the doctor's mind.
• Infant: If an infant is the subject of a check up for systolic blood pressure, then, the normal range of blood pressure should be between 70 mm Hg.
• Toddler (1-3years): Blood pressure for a toddler would be again in the same range as the infant, but a bit higher. Ideally it should be around 70-76mm Hg.
• Pre-school age: A child of a preschool age, that is between 3 to 5 years, is around 80 mm Hg.
• School Children: Kids who are in the age group between 5 and 12, have systolic blood pressure in the range of 80 and 90 mm Hg.
• From 12 years to adulthood: By this time the individual acquires the full range of the systolic blood pressure, which varies from 100 and 120.

In most of the cases, the blood pressure cannot be checked as the arms of the babies and infants and even pre school kids are too small to be fitted into the blood pressure apparatus. So many times, blood pressure can be measured properly once the kid is around 10 years old.

Respiratory Rate: Respiratory rate is one of the very important sign. It checks the breaths of an individual per minute.

• Newborn: Ideally a newborn should not be recording more than 30 to 60 breaths per minute. In case it is not, well, then, there could be a problem.
• Infant: An infant can be supposed to be normal if it is between 30 to 50 breaths per minute.
• Toddler: A toddler has a respiratory rate of 24 to 40 breaths per minute.
• Pre-school children: These have an even lower respiratory rate. The maximum breaths per minute is around 35 and the least is 22 breaths per minute.
• School Children: Respiratory rate for kids who are school-going is even lesser. It is between 16 to 30 breaths per minute.
• From 12 years to adulthood: From 12 years and above, Adults have a respiratory rate of between 12 and 20 breaths per minute.

Heart Rate: Heart rate is always recorded in heart beats per minute. Too high or too low number of heartbeats per minute can be problematic. Check out what are the normal ranges for children and infants.

• Newborn: For a newborn, the heart rate is between 80 and 180. The average or the mean is 140.
• Infant: As the baby grow, the heart rate decreases. An infant has a heart rate of 70-170 heartbeats per minute and the mean is around 135.
• Toddler: Optimal heart rate for a toddler is 90-150. There could be a slight variation, according to the constitution, which could mean that the mean heart rate for a toddler is 120.
• Pre-school children: The heart beats per minute vary between 65 and 135. The mean heart rate is 110.
• School Children: Their heart rate should range between 60 and 120. The mean fluctuates between 85 to 100.
• From 12 years to adulthood: The individuals who are 12 years and above, and even adults have a heart rate between 60 and 100. In the adults the mean of this rate is between 80 and 85.

Weight in pounds: Weight is another important factor where the health of children is concerned. Weight in pediatrics, especially of the newborns is recorded in pounds. Here is an overview of the normal weight of an individual at each stage from birth to adulthood.

• Newborn: It is between 4.5 to 7 pounds. If it's premature, then the weight can be lesser.
• Infant: An infant weighs between 9 and 22 pounds.
• Toddler: At this age usually kids grow very rapidly. So the weight for a toddler is between 22 and 31 pounds.
• Pre-school children: These again, are at a stage where they grow very fast. So the weight for them could fluctuate anywhere around 14 and 18 pounds.
• School going children: They are in a stage of flux. They are running around, doing a lot of physical activities and create trouble for their mothers! But on a serious note, school going kids weigh somewhere around 40 and 90 pounds.
• From 12 years to adulthood: The stage of transformation is a very complex one. There are a lot of bodily changes during this stage and the normal weight for this age group is anywhere around the same as school going kids, although slightly more. It hovers between 90 and 100 pounds.

These were the readings corresponding to age group. However, it should be remembered that each individual is different, so depending upon that, a results should be interpreted.

In case of measurements and methods of these vital signs, how to take them is the prerogative and thing of expertise of a medical practitioner and he or she is the best judge of the medical condition of a child. For instance, a gynecologist is the best person to comment upon the health of a baby as he knows the normal ranges very well.

In the advent of any problem arising from the deviation from the normal range from any of these vital signs, the best thing to do would be to immediately take your child to a pediatrician.