School age children are typically 6 to 12 years old. Which vitals are correct?

• A. Age: 6-12 y/o; HR 70-120; RR 18-30; Min BP >80 systolic
• B. Age: 13-18 y/o; HR 60-100; RR 12-16; Min BP >90 systolic
• C. Age: 1-3 y/o; HR 95-150; RR 24-40; Min BP >70 systolic
• D. Age: <1 y/o; HR 100-160; RR 30-60; Min BP >65 systolic

Answer: (A)

Understanding normal vital signs by age helps you quickly assess perfusion and stability in children. For school-age kids, roughly 6 to 12 years old, resting heart rate is typically about 70 to 120 beats per minute, and respiratory rate is about 18 to 30 breaths per minute. Blood pressure is age-dependent, with a commonly used lower bound around 70 plus 2 times the age in years; for a 6–12-year-old, that translates to roughly 82–94 mmHg as a minimum systolic value, so stating a minimum systolic pressure greater than about 80 mmHg aligns with expected perfusion for this group. The option that lists school-age as 6–12 years with HR 70–120, RR 18–30, and min SBP >80 mmHg reflects these typical ranges. The other choices describe younger children or adolescents with vitals that fit those different age groups, not school-age.