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Age-modified Glasgow Coma Scale for infants and children, using the same eye (1–4) and motor (1–6) components as the adult scale but an age-appropriate verbal response (1–5). Sum ranges 3–15; lower scores indicate more severe impairment of consciousness.
Pediatric GCS = Eye (1–4) + Verbal (1–5, age-appropriate) + Motor (1–6) → total 3–15
15/15 in a fully alert child. 13–15 mild injury; 9–12 moderate; 3–8 severe (coma).
The Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale modifies only the verbal component of the adult GCS to be developmentally appropriate for infants and pre-verbal children. The most widely used version assigns 5 points to an interactive infant who smiles, fixes, and follows; 4 to consolable crying; 3 to inconsolable crying; 2 to moaning or restless agitation; and 1 to no verbal response. The eye (4) and motor (6) components are identical to the adult scale, giving a total of 3–15.
Specialty
PediatricsCategory
PediatricsDifficulty
Basic
Estimated Time
30 seconds
Version
1.0
Last Updated
2026-08-16
Formula
Keywords
Normal Range
15/15 in a fully alert child. 13–15 mild injury; 9–12 moderate; 3–8 severe (coma).
| Classification | Range |
|---|---|
Mild impairment Minor head injury; low risk of significant TBI | 13–15 |
Moderate impairment Requires close neurologic monitoring | 9–12 |
Severe impairment (coma) Airway protection; intubation often indicated | 3–8 |
Quantifies the level of consciousness in infants and children using the Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale, which modifies the verbal component for age while keeping the eye (1–4) and motor (1–6) components identical to the adult scale; total range 3–15.
Scores 13–15 indicate mild impairment; 9–12 moderate impairment requiring close monitoring; 8 or less indicates severe impairment (coma) with the need for airway protection, urgent neuroimaging, and neurosurgical/ICU referral. The pediatric scale differs from the adult scale only in the verbal component.
The Pediatric GCS standardizes the neurologic examination in children and is widely used to grade the severity of head injury and guide airway management, neuroimaging, and referral decisions.
A 9-month-old after a fall opens eyes to voice (3), cries but is consolable (4), and withdraws to pain (4).
Inputs:
Pediatric GCS 11/15 — moderate impairment; close neurologic monitoring and urgent evaluation of the underlying cause.
Only the verbal component differs for pre-verbal children. Eye and motor components are the same. The pediatric verbal scale uses age-appropriate responses (e.g., crying, consolable, irritable, coos, oriented).
Adult GCS applies when the child can reliably orient to person, place, and time. Typically this is around age 2-3, though it depends on developmental milestones.
A GCS of 8 or less indicates severe impairment (coma) and warrants consideration of airway protection, urgent neuroimaging, and neurosurgical or ICU referral.
Disclaimer: This calculator is intended for educational and clinical decision support purposes only. Neurologic assessment requires serial evaluation by trained clinicians, and clinical decisions should not rest on a single score.
Age-appropriate verbal scoring
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