Version July 2025
| Age group | Heart rate (beats/minute) | Respiratory rate (breaths/minute) | Leukocyte count (leukocytes × 103/mm3) | Systolic blood pressure (mmHg) | |
| Tachycardia | Bradycardia | ||||
| Newborn (0 days to 1 week) | >180 | <100 | >50 | >34 | <59 |
| Neonate (1 week to 1 month) | >180 | <100 | >40 | >19.5 or <5 | <79 |
| Infant (1 month to 1 year) | >180 | <90 | >34 | >17.5 or <5 | <75 |
| Toddler and preschool (>1 to 5 years) | >140 | NA | >22 | >15.5 or <6 | <74 |
| School age (>5 to 12 years) | >130 | NA | >18 | >13.5 or <4.5 | <83 |
| Adolescent (>12 to <18 years) | >110 | NA | >14 | >11 or <4.5 | <90 |
The pediatric systemic inflammatory response syndrome (pSIRS) is present in children with two or more criteria present, one of which must be an abnormal temperature (fever or hypothermia) or leukocytosis. This table provides the age-based heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, and white blood cell count criteria.
These criteria are typically present in children with evolving sepsis along with suspected infection and compensated or hypotensive shock. Other red flag findings include abnormal mental status, purpura anywhere on the body, petechiae below the nipple line, or macular erythema. Refer to UpToDate topics on rapid recognition and clinical diagnosis of sepsis in resource-abundant settings for additional physical findings of infection and evolving or existing sepsis.
