Pediatric Nursing Reference

Quick-reference material for licensed nurses and students. Values are drawn from commonly cited clinical guidelines and nursing references — always verify against your facility protocols. About our editorial standards · Report a correction

Vital Signs by Age

Age Group	Heart Rate	Respiratory Rate	Systolic BP
Newborn (0–1 mo)	100–160 bpm	30–60/min	60–90 mmHg
Infant (1–12 mo)	100–150 bpm	25–50/min	70–100 mmHg
Toddler (1–3 yr)	90–140 bpm	20–40/min	80–110 mmHg
Preschool (3–5 yr)	80–120 bpm	20–30/min	80–110 mmHg
School-age (6–12 yr)	70–110 bpm	18–25/min	85–120 mmHg
Adolescent (13–18 yr)	60–100 bpm	12–20/min	95–120 mmHg

Growth & Development Milestones

Age	Gross Motor	Fine Motor	Language	Social
2 mo	Holds head up, lifts chest	Follows objects, hands to mouth	Coos, gurgles	Social smile
4 mo	Rolls front to back	Reaches for objects, grasps	Laughs, babbles	Enjoys play, responds to affection
6 mo	Sits with support, rolls both ways	Transfers object hand to hand	Babbling with vowels	Stranger anxiety begins
9 mo	Crawls, pulls to stand	Pincer grasp	Mama/dada (nonspecific)	Separation anxiety, waves bye-bye
12 mo	Stands alone, first steps	Puts in/takes out	First words (1–2)	Plays peek-a-boo
18 mo	Walks well, runs	Scribbles, stacks 2–4 blocks	10–20 words	Points to show, imitates
2 yr	Climbs, kicks ball	Turns pages, builds tower of 6	2-word phrases, 50+ words	Parallel play
3 yr	Pedals tricycle, jumps	Draws circle, uses scissors	3-word sentences, 250+ words	Shares, takes turns
4 yr	Hops on one foot	Draws person (2–4 parts)	Tells stories, counts	Cooperates, imaginative play
5 yr	Skips, somersaults	Draws person (6+ parts), prints name	Full sentences, 2000+ words	Follows rules, plays with others

Weight-Based Dosing

Formula: Dose = Weight (kg) × mg/kg/dose

Note: Always use kg for pediatric dosing. 1 kg = 2.2 lbs.

Daily fluid requirements (4-2-1 rule for hourly):

First 10 kg: 100 mL/kg/day (4 mL/kg/hr)
Next 10 kg: 50 mL/kg/day (2 mL/kg/hr)
Each kg over 20: 20 mL/kg/day (1 mL/kg/hr)

Pediatric Assessment Triangle (PAT)

Appearance — Tone, interactivity, consolability, look/gaze, speech/cry
Work of Breathing — Abnormal sounds, positioning, retractions, flaring
Circulation to Skin — Pallor, mottling, cyanosis

Immunization Schedule

Vaccine	Birth	2 mo	4 mo	6 mo	12 mo	15 mo	18 mo	4–6 yr
HepB	×	×	×
RV		×	×	×
DTaP		×	×	×			×	×
Hib		×	×	×	×
PCV13		×	×	×	×
IPV		×	×	×				×
Influenza					×			× (annual)
MMR					×	×
Varicella					×			×
HepA					×		×

Pediatric Emergency

Broselow tape: Color-coded tape measures child length to estimate weight and equipment/drug doses for resuscitation.

Pediatric defibrillation: 2 J/kg first shock, 4 J/kg for subsequent shocks.

Epinephrine (cardiac arrest): 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO (1:10,000 concentration).

References

Public pediatric growth, vital sign, and immunization references.

CDC — Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule
CDC — Growth Charts
StatPearls — Vital Sign Assessment (NIH/NCBI Bookshelf; pediatric tables)
American Academy of Pediatrics — Bright Futures

Medical Disclaimer

The content on this page is provided for educational and quick-reference purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional clinical judgment, your facility's protocols, or the guidance of a qualified licensed healthcare provider. Always verify dosages, reference ranges, and protocols against current evidence-based clinical guidelines and institutional policy before providing care. rnref.com makes no warranty regarding the accuracy or completeness of this information and is not liable for clinical decisions made based on it. See our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Accessibility Statement.