Vital Signs in Children

What are vital signs? Vital signs include heart rate, respiration (breathing rate), blood pressure, and temperature. Knowing the ranges for vital signs for your child can help you notice problems early or relieve concerns you may have about how your child is doing. The table below includes information that can help…

Vital Signs in Children

Topic Overview

What are vital signs?

Vital signs include heart rate, respiration (breathing rate), blood pressure, and temperature. Knowing the ranges for vital signs for your child can help you notice problems early or relieve concerns you may have about how your child is doing. The table below includes information that can help.

Normal ranges for vital signs

Vital Sign

Infant

Child

Pre-Teen/Teen

0 to 12 months

1 to 11 years

12 and up

Heart Rate

100 to 160 beats per minute (bpm)

70 to 120 bpm

60 to 100 bpm

Respiration (breaths)

0 to 6 months

30 to 60 breaths per minute (bpm)

6 to 12 months

24 to 30 bpm

1 to 5 years

20 to 30 (bpm)

6 to 11 years

12 to 20 bpm

12 to 18 bpm footnote 1

Blood Pressure ( systolic/ diastolic) footnote 1

0 to 6 months

65 to 90/45 to 65 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg)

6 to 12 months

80 to 100/55 to 65 mm Hg

90 to 110/55 to 75 mm Hg

110 to 135/65 to 85 mm Hg

Temperature

All ages

98.6 F

(normal range is 97.4 F to 99.6 F)

All ages

98.6 F

(normal range is 97.4 F to 99.6 F)

All ages

98.6 F

(normal range is 97.4 F to 99.6 F)

Learn more

Learn more about how to take your child’s temperature, take a pulse, measure blood pressure, and count breaths with these topics:

Health Tools

Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.

Actionsets are designed to help people take an active role in managing a health condition.

References

Citations

  1. Harman M, et al. (2011). Pediatric emergency and resuscitation. In RM Kliegman et al., eds., Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 19th ed., p. 280. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

Credits

Current as ofJune 26, 2019

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Susan C. Kim MD – Pediatrics
Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine
Kathleen Romito MD – Family Medicine
John Pope MD – Pediatrics
David Messenger MD

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.