👶 Downes Score (Neonatal Respiratory Distress)
UseManagement follows current guidelines and local protocols; this page gives no management recommendation.
SourceDownes JJ, et al. Clin Pediatr 1970
This-shift next steps
After scoring: open the scene pack, peer scores, and the matching pathway. Local reference — no HIS write.
Paste the link in Slack, Teams, X, or LinkedIn — the preview image comes from this page’s Open Graph card.
Methodology · worked example, guidelines & full notes
≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure.
When to use
Management follows current guidelines and local protocols; this page gives no management recommendation.
How it works
Respiratory rate, cyanosis, air entry, grunting and retractions — each 0–2. ≤ 3 mild, 4–6 moderate, ≥ 7 failure.
Key points
- ≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure.
- Applicable to term/late-preterm infants.
- Use with blood gas where available.
References
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| Respiratory rate | 60–80 (1) |
|---|---|
| Cyanosis | In room air (1) |
| Air entry | Decreased (1) |
| Grunting | Audible with stethoscope (1) |
| Retractions | Mild (1) |
→Downes5/10
- Interpretation：Moderate — impending respiratory failure
- Note：≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure and likely need for assisted ventilation/blood gas.
| Respiratory rate | < 60 (0) |
|---|---|
| Cyanosis | None (0) |
| Air entry | Good (0) |
| Grunting | None (0) |
| Retractions | None (0) |
→Downes0/10
- Interpretation：Mild — monitor
- Note：≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure and likely need for assisted ventilation/blood gas.
Verification & sources · governance
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
- What are the limits and cautions when using Downes Score (Neonatal Respiratory Distress)?
- For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
- Does Downes Score (Neonatal Respiratory Distress) upload patient data? Where is it calculated?
- Calculation runs locally in the browser; inputs and results are not uploaded. For licensed clinicians only; interpret with history, investigations and local protocols — not a diagnosis or prescription.
- How is Downes Score (Neonatal Respiratory Distress) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
- Inputs: Respiratory rate 60–80 (1), Cyanosis In room air (1), Air entry Decreased (1), Grunting Audible with stethoscope (1), Retractions Mild (1) → Result: Downes 5 /10（Interpretation: Moderate — impending respiratory failure, Note: ≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure and likely need for assisted ventilation/blood gas.） Inputs: Respiratory rate < 60 (0), Cyanosis None (0), Air entry Good (0), Grunting None (0), Retractions None (0) → Result: Downes 0 /10（Interpretation: Mild — monitor, Note: ≥ 7 suggests respiratory failure and likely need for assisted ventilation/blood gas.）