Normal Vital Sign Ranges for Children: Blood Pressure, Pulse, Respirations, and Temperature

What are pediatric vital signs?

Pediatric vital signs, or vital signs for children, measure your child’s basic body functions. The measurements are different for children than they are for adults.

0 to 12 months old

Vital signs for infants ages 0 to 12 months include the following:

Heart rate

This is measured in beats per minute (bpm).
0 to 12 months: 70-190 bpm

Respiration (breaths)

This is measured in breaths per minute (bpm).
0 to 6 months: 25-64 bpm
6 to 12 months: 22-61 bpm

Temperature

This is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (F) or Celsius (C).

0 to 12 months: 98.6 °F (37 °C). The normal range is 97.4 F–99.6 F (36.3 C–37.6 C).

1 to 11 years old

Vital signs for children ages 1 to 11 years include the following:

Heart rate

This is measured in beats per minute (bpm).
1 to 11 years: 52-156 bpm

Respiration (breaths)

This is measured in breaths per minute (bpm).
1 to 3 years: 21–33 bpm
4 to 11 years: 17-25 bpm

12 and Older

Heart rate

This is measured in beats per minute (bpm).
60–110 bpm

Respiration (breaths)

This is measured in breaths per minute (bpm).
12–22 bpm

Blood pressure (systolic/diastolic)

Systolic blood pressure is the upper number of a blood pressure reading. Diastolic is the lower number. They are measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

For children who are age 12, what is normal and what is high blood pressure depends on your child's age, sex, and height.

For children who are 13 and older, normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm Hg or lower.

Temperature

This is measured in degrees Fahrenheit (F) or Celsius (C).

98.6 F (37 C). The normal range is 97.4 F–99.6 F (36.3 C–37.6 C).