VITAL SIGNS AND ELECTROLYTE VALUES FOR THE PEDIATRIC PATIENT
RESPIRATORY RATE
Infant
Toddler
Pre-School
School-Age
Adolescent
30 to 60
24 to 40
22 to 34
18 to 30
12 to 16
HEART RATE
Infant
Toddler
Pre-School
School-Age
Adolescent
120 to 160
90 to 140
80 to 110
75 to 100
60 to 90
BLOOD PRESSURE
(systolic/diastolic)
Infant
75 to 100/50 to 70
Toddler
80 to 112/50 to 80
Pre-School
82 to 110/50 to 78
School- Age
84 to 120/54 to 80
Adolescent
94 to 140/62 to 88
ELECTROLYTES
Sodium
138 – 145 mEq/L
Hyponatremia
Below 138 mEq/L
Losses Through
Perspiration, GI & renal
Potassium
3.5 – 5.0 mEq/L
Hypokalemia
Below 3.5 mEq/L
Losses Through
inadequate intake, GI loss,
medications
Symptoms
Fatigue, GI, muscle weakness,
dysrhythmias (flattened T, ST
depressed)
Symptoms
GI, anxiety, twitching, lethargy,
confusion, seizures, coma
Hypernatremia
Above 145 mEq/L
Gains Through
High sodium intake, deprivation of
water
Symptoms
Thirst, fever, dry mm, confusion,
seizures, edema
Hyperkalemia
Above 5.0 mEq/L
Gains Through
Decreased excretion, renal failure,
high intake
Symptoms
Weakness, paresthesias, paralysis,
GI, dysrhythmias (bradycardia,
heart block, peaked T waves,
widened QRS)
Calcium
8.5 to 10.5 mEq/L
Hypocalcemia
Below 8.5 mEq/L
Losses Through:
hypoparathyroidism, malabsorption,
vit.D deficiency, acute pancreatitis
Symptoms
N & T, muscle cramps, mental stat
changes, chvostek’s sign (spasm of
facial muscle after tapping facial
nerve), seizures, largngospasm,
EKG (prolonged QT interval)
Hypercalcemia
Above 10.5 mEq/L
Gains Through
Hypoparathyroidism, neoplasm, vit
D intox.
Symptoms
Weakness, lethargy, GI, confusion,
thirst, EKG (shortened QT interval)
Fluid Maintenance Requirements
Caloric Requirements in Children
0 to 10 KG
11 to 20 KG
21 to 30 KG
31 to 40 KG
Infant
1 to 2 yrs
2 to 6 yrs
7 to 9 yrs
10 to 12 yrs
=
=
=
=
100 ML/KG
1000 + 50 ML/KG
1500 + 25 ML/KG
1750 + 10 ML/KG
Output
Infants
Children (2+ yrs)
=
=
1 ML/KG/HR
2 ML/KG/HR
=
=
=
=
=
100 to 120 cal/KG
90 to 100 cal/KG
80 to 90 cal/KG
70 to 80 cal/KG
50 to 60 cal/KG