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Normal Vital Signs by Age: Adult, Child and Infant
Heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, temperature and SpO₂ from newborn to adult, and when to report
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Normal vital signs by age
Normal vital signs by age change most in the first years of life: the younger the child, the faster the heart rate and breathing and the lower the blood pressure. Values are for a calm, resting person; ranges vary by source, so use the range your exam item or facility gives.
| Age | Heart rate (/min) | Breathing rate (/min) | Systolic BP (mm Hg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0–1 mo) | 70–190 | 40–60 | 60–90 |
| Infant (1–11 mo) | 80–160 | 25–50 | 70–110 |
| 1–2 yr | 80–130 | 20–30 | 72–110 |
| 3–4 yr | 80–120 | 20–26 | 78–112 |
| 5–6 yr | 75–115 | 18–24 | 82–115 |
| 7–9 yr | 70–110 | 18–22 | 86–118 |
| 10–14 yr | 60–100 | 16–20 | 90–130 |
| Adult | 60–100 | 12–18 (12–20 in many texts) | 90–119 (normal under 120/80) |
Adult blood pressure categories
| Category | Systolic | Diastolic |
|---|---|---|
| Normal | Under 120 | and under 80 |
| Elevated | 120–129 | and under 80 |
| Stage 1 hypertension | 130–139 | or 80–89 |
| Stage 2 hypertension | 140 or higher | or 90 or higher |
| Severe hypertension | Over 180 | and/or over 120 |
Low blood pressure in adults is generally under 90/60. A low reading matters most when it is new or comes with dizziness, confusion or low urine output.
Temperature
- Average 98.6 °F (37 °C); normal about 97.7–99.1 °F (36.5–37.3 °C), lowest in the early morning.
- Fever (common definition): 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher.
- Child fever by route: rectal 100.4 °F (38 °C), oral 99.5 °F (37.5 °C), underarm 99 °F (37.2 °C).
- Infant 3 months or younger with a rectal temperature of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher: notify the provider right away.
Oxygen saturation (SpO₂)
- Normal: 95–100% on room air.
- Lower can be acceptable in COPD or at high altitude; follow the ordered target range.
- A pulse oximeter can read 2–4% above or below the true value.
- Less accurate with cold skin, poor circulation, dark nail polish, artificial nails, tobacco use and darker skin pigmentation.
When to report
- Any value outside the expected range that is new, worsening or comes with symptoms.
- A trend, even inside normal: a heart rate creeping up while blood pressure drifts down.
- Possible sepsis: with suspected infection, 2 or more of breathing rate 22/min or higher, new confusion, systolic BP 100 or lower.
- Severe BP over 180/120, or any BP with signs of organ damage.
- Children: a rising heart rate or breathing rate, slow capillary refill or reduced alertness. Falling blood pressure is a late sign of shock.
In depth
The one-page summary above is what the PDF prints. These sections go further.
Why vital sign ranges differ between sources
Pediatric ranges come from different methods: expert consensus tables (such as PALS or APLS), hospital protocols and studies of healthy children. A 2011 systematic review of observational studies built centile charts for heart rate and breathing rate from birth to 18 years and found that published reference ranges often disagreed with the measured data, with limits that fell outside the 1st and 99th centiles.
| Age | Median heart rate | Median breathing rate |
|---|---|---|
| Birth | About 127/min | About 44/min |
| 1 month | About 145/min (the peak) | Falling |
| 2 years | About 113/min | About 26/min |
For study, learn the pattern (fast and shallow in infants, slowing through childhood, adult values by about age 10 to 14) and one set of numbers. On an exam, use the range printed in the item; at work, use the range in your facility's early warning tool.
Measuring accurately
- Heart rate: rest at least 10 minutes first; count a full minute when the rhythm is irregular. Apical pulse in infants.
- Breathing: count without telling the client, since people change their breathing when watched.
- Blood pressure: use the right cuff size, an arm supported at heart level, and a seated client who has rested; a cuff that is too small reads high.
- Temperature: the route changes the number; record the route with the value. Rectal is the reference in infants.
- SpO₂: warm the hand, remove dark polish, use an ear or forehead probe if perfusion is poor, and match the displayed pulse rate to the client's pulse.
Vital signs in clinical judgment questions
| Pattern | Think of | First nursing action |
|---|---|---|
| Fast HR, low BP, fast breathing, fever | Sepsis | Report now; follow the sepsis protocol |
| Fast HR, low BP, cool skin after surgery or trauma | Bleeding (hypovolemia) | Check the site, report, prepare fluids |
| High BP, slow HR, irregular breathing | Raised intracranial pressure (Cushing's triad) | Neuro check; report at once |
| Slow, shallow breathing and drowsiness on opioids | Opioid-induced respiratory depression | Stimulate, stop the opioid, naloxone per order |
| Low SpO₂, fast breathing, anxiety | Hypoxemia (PE, pneumonia, heart failure) | Sit up, give oxygen per protocol, report |
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Calculators for this topic
Sources
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine). Vital signs. Review date 1/1/2025. Link
- MedlinePlus. Pulse (normal resting heart rate by age). Review date 1/1/2025. Link
- MedlinePlus. Body temperature norms. Review date 1/1/2025. Link
- MedlinePlus. Fever (thresholds by route; infants 3 months or younger). Review date 7/31/2024. Link
- MedlinePlus. High blood pressure in adults – hypertension. Review date 2/13/2025. Link
- MedlinePlus. Low blood pressure. Review date 1/1/2025. Link
- MedlinePlus Lab Tests. Pulse Oximetry. Last updated September 12, 2024. Link
- First10EM. Pediatric Vital Signs (PALS reference table by age; undated web page, read 2026-10-28). Link
- Fleming S, Thompson M, Stevens R, et al. Normal ranges of heart rate and respiratory rate in children from birth to 18 years of age: a systematic review of observational studies. Lancet. 2011;377(9770):1011-1018. Link
- Brown C, Clark D III, Jones DW. Updates in the 2025 AHA/ACC Hypertension Guideline. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2026;28(1):19. Link
- Singer M, Deutschman CS, Seymour CW, et al. The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA. 2016;315(8):801-810. Link