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🧒 Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)

UseAssess and trend consciousness in pediatric trauma and acute illness; record the EVM components.

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SourceHolmes JF, et al. Performance of the pediatric GCS in children with blunt head trauma. Acad Emerg M…

Runs locally in your browser (no PHI uploaded). For licensed clinicians — not a substitute for clinical judgement.
Stored on this device for revisit reminders

This-shift next steps

After scoring: open the scene pack, peer scores, and the matching pathway. Local reference — no HIS write.

Scene next step
📋Seizure / consciousnessOpen scene pack →
Related scores
Matching pathway
🧭status_epiOpen pathway →
Score + version; reference only — not a substitute for care · no HIS write

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Methodology · worked example, guidelines & full notes
Clinical takeaway

Infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) use modified verbal and motor descriptors.

When to use

Assess and trend consciousness in pediatric trauma and acute illness; record the EVM components.

How it works

Eye(1–4) + Verbal(1–5, infant-adapted) + Motor(1–6, infant-adapted) = 3–15. ≤ 8 severe, 9–12 moderate, 13–15 mild.

Key points

  • Infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) use modified verbal and motor descriptors.
  • GCS ≤ 8 indicates high airway risk — consider intubation.
  • The motor item is most informative in pre-verbal/intubated children.

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.

Eye opening (E)To voice/sound (3)
Verbal (V) | child / infantInappropriate words / cries to pain (3)
Motor (M) | child / infantWithdraws to pain (4)

→Pediatric GCS10 (E3V3M4)

  • Total：10 (E3 V3 M4) → Moderate (≤ 8 severe, 9–12 moderate, 13–15 mild)
  • Action：Moderate impairment: close neuro monitoring, identify cause, serial GCS
  • Note：In infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) verbal and motor items use the modified scale; the motor item is most valuable in intubated/pre-verbal children. Record components (EVM) and total. Sedation, paralysis and hypoxia affect the score
Eye opening (E)Spontaneous (4)
Verbal (V) | child / infantOriented / coos, babbles, smiles (5)
Motor (M) | child / infantObeys commands / spontaneous purposeful movement (6)

→Pediatric GCS15 (E4V5M6)

  • Total：15 (E4 V5 M6) → Mild (≤ 8 severe, 9–12 moderate, 13–15 mild)
  • Action：Mild: observe, serial GCS; correlate with mechanism and other findings
  • Note：In infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) verbal and motor items use the modified scale; the motor item is most valuable in intubated/pre-verbal children. Record components (EVM) and total. Sedation, paralysis and hypoxia affect the score
Verification & sources · governance
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What are the limits and cautions when using Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
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 Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 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 Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
Inputs: Eye opening (E) To voice/sound (3), Verbal (V) | child / infant Inappropriate words / cries to pain (3), Motor (M) | child / infant Withdraws to pain (4) → Result: Pediatric GCS 10 (E3V3M4)（Total: 10 (E3 V3 M4) → Moderate (≤ 8 severe, 9–12 moderate, 13–15 mild), Action: Moderate impairment: close neuro monitoring, identify cause, serial GCS, Note: In infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) verbal and motor items use the modified scale; the motor item is most valuable in intubated/pre-verbal children. Record components (EVM) and total. Sedation, paralysis and hypoxia affect the score） Inputs: Eye opening (E) Spontaneous (4), Verbal (V) | child / infant Oriented / coos, babbles, smiles (5), Motor (M) | child / infant Obeys commands / spontaneous purposeful movement (6) → Result: Pediatric GCS 15 (E4V5M6)（Total: 15 (E4 V5 M6) → Mild (≤ 8 severe, 9–12 moderate, 13–15 mild), Action: Mild: observe, serial GCS; correlate with mechanism and other findings, Note: In infants (< 2 y / pre-verbal) verbal and motor items use the modified scale; the motor item is most valuable in intubated/pre-verbal children. Record components (EVM) and total. Sedation, paralysis and hypoxia affect the score）
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