Pediatric bedside reference
Quickly look up age-based pediatric vital-sign references—including exact ages in months—and review term-newborn values with sources and clinical context.
Reference values—not a decision rule. A child’s appearance, work of breathing, perfusion, trend, measurement conditions, and local escalation pathway matter. Do not use an age-based range to rule out respiratory distress.
Quick age-based lookup
Use the age format you were given. Enter an exact age in months—such as 17 months—without converting it to years.
For infants, months can be entered directly.
Your reference ranges will appear here
Enter an age to see the matching values and age band.
Age-based quick reference
For children older than the newborn period, this page uses the proposed 1st–99th centiles and median from Fleming et al.’s systematic review. Choose the patient’s exact age above to jump to the corresponding band. Published ranges differ: these centiles are a transparent reference framework, not universal clinical cutoffs.
| Age group | Heart rate (1st–99th) | Median HR | Respiratory rate (1st–99th) | Median RR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–3 months | 107–181 bpm | 143 bpm | 25–66/min | 43/min |
| 3–6 months | 104–175 bpm | 140 bpm | 24–64/min | 41/min |
| 6–9 months | 98–168 bpm | 134 bpm | 23–61/min | 39/min |
| 9–12 months | 93–161 bpm | 128 bpm | 22–58/min | 37/min |
| 12–18 months | 88–156 bpm | 123 bpm | 21–53/min | 35/min |
| 18–24 months | 82–149 bpm | 116 bpm | 19–46/min | 31/min |
| 2–3 years | 76–142 bpm | 110 bpm | 18–38/min | 28/min |
| 3–4 years | 70–136 bpm | 104 bpm | 17–33/min | 25/min |
| 4–6 years | 65–131 bpm | 98 bpm | 17–29/min | 23/min |
| 6–8 years | 59–123 bpm | 91 bpm | 16–27/min | 21/min |
| 8–12 years | 52–115 bpm | 84 bpm | 14–25/min | 19/min |
| 12–15 years | 47–108 bpm | 78 bpm | 12–23/min | 18/min |
| 15–18 years | 43–104 bpm | 73 bpm | 11–22/min | 16/min |
Centiles are population statistics; the 1st and 99th centiles are not validated bedside alarm limits. Source: Fleming et al., Lancet (2011) and its web appendix.
What does a centile tell you?
Learn how a population reference differs from a clinical threshold—and why context and trends matter.
How to interpret the numbers
For a term newborn, the HSE newborn examination handbook lists HR 100–160 beats/min, RR 30–60 breaths/min, and axillary temperature 36.5–37.5°C. These values should not be substituted for preterm/NICU references or oxygen targets during immediate transition after birth.
Open newborn examination handbookHeart and breathing rates can change with fever, crying, activity, sleep, pain, and respiratory effort. A single number cannot summarize appearance, work of breathing, oxygen requirement, perfusion, or trajectory. In respiratory distress, use direct assessment and the applicable emergency pathway.
For children under 13, the AAP hypertension guideline classifies BP using age, sex, and height percentiles; adolescent categories differ. A bedside observation range and a hypertension percentile answer different questions, so this quick lookup does not label a BP as normal from age alone.
Review AAP pediatric BP guidelineFever-risk cutoffs, CCHD newborn-screening criteria, and preterm oxygen targets are designed for specific purposes and populations—not as universal expected ranges for every child. Use the cited guidance that matches the situation.
Frequently asked questions
Enter 17 and select months. The lookup uses the 12–18-month heart-rate and respiratory-rate centiles and shows their median. The range describes a healthy reference population; it is not an alarm or treatment threshold.
Pediatric rates change with age, and published reference ranges differ by population and measurement context. Centiles make the source framework explicit instead of presenting one range as a universal cutoff.
It provides term-newborn temperature context and explains why pediatric blood pressure and oxygen-saturation values require additional context. Pediatric BP interpretation uses age, sex, and height percentiles; oxygen targets depend on clinical setting and support.
The ranges are a reference only, not a triage or escalation rule. Respiratory distress requires direct assessment using the full clinical presentation, trends, and applicable local pathways.
Evidence base
References reviewed September 27, 2026. Pediatric HR/RR centiles and term-newborn reference bands are presented as distinct frameworks. Local protocols and patient-specific context take precedence.