Summary

Pediatric vital signs vary substantially by age. Generally, younger children have higher heart rates and respiratory rates, with systolic blood pressures increasing with age. Refer to the age-stratified table below for normal ranges in key parameters such as pulse, respiratory rate, and systolic blood pressure ^{1 2}.

At-a-glance

Age Group	Pulse (bpm)	Respiratory Rate (breaths/min)	Systolic BP (mmHg)
Preterm (<1 kg)	120 – 160	30 – 60	36 – 58
Preterm (~1 kg)	120 – 160	30 – 60	42 – 66
Preterm (~2 kg)	120 – 160	30 – 60	50 – 72
Newborn	126 – 160	30 – 60	60 – 70
Up to 1 year	100 – 140	30 – 60	70 – 80
1 – 3 years	100 – 140	20 – 40	76 – 90
4 – 6 years	80 – 120	20 – 30	80 – 100
7 – 9 years	80 – 120	16 – 24	84 – 110
10 – 12 years	60 – 100	16 – 20	90 – 120
13 – 14 years	60 – 90	16 – 20	90 – 120
15 years and older	60 – 90	14 – 20	90 – 130

Note: An increase in body temperature typically raises heart rate by about 10 beats per minute per degree Celsius ^{1 3}.

These ranges provide a general reference and may vary with individual patient settings and clinical context.