Pediatric Vital Signs Cheat Sheet for EMS
Age-based normal ranges for heart rate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure — plus the shortcuts that let you remember them cold.
April 2, 2026 · 5 min read
Kids compensate until they crash. The only way to catch decompensation early is knowing what normal looks like at each age.
Heart rate (awake)
- Newborn: 100–205
- Infant (1–12 mo): 100–180
- Toddler (1–3 yr): 90–150
- Preschool (3–5 yr): 80–140
- School age (6–12 yr): 70–120
- Adolescent: 60–100
Respiratory rate
- Infant: 30–60
- Toddler: 24–40
- Preschool: 22–34
- School age: 18–30
- Adolescent: 12–16
Minimum systolic BP
Use the classic formula: 70 + (2 × age in years) for kids 1–10. Below that number, you have hypotension until proven otherwise.
The shortcut that always works
If a child looks bad, they are bad. The Pediatric Assessment Triangle beats every vital sign in the first five seconds — appearance, work of breathing, circulation to skin.
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