A normal pulse rate is a sign of healthy child.
The pulse is the movement of blood through the arteries near the surface of the body. The periodic swelling and contraction of these arteries, timed to the beating of the heart, is what causes a pulse. Because a normal pulse rate is a good indicator of the overall health of a child's cardiovascular and respiratory system, you should check your child's pulse periodically to ensure that it is not unusually slow or rapid for his age.
Instructions
1. Calm your child. To obtain an accurate reading, measure the pulse only after she has been resting for at least 10 minutes. Because it can be difficult to get children to avoid movement for a long period of time, take the pulse at night, when she is tired and ready for bed.
2. Find your child's pulse. Take your child's wrist in your hand, and place your index and middle fingers on the inside of his wrist just above the hand. Apply a light downward pressure and wait until you feel the pulse. If you have trouble feeling the pulse this way, you can check the pulse on the carotid artery along the neck. Find the carotid artery, but place your hand downward below the ear and just beneath the jaw. Apply a slight pressure to his neck to feel the pulse. It is always better to check a child's pulse on his wrist rather than his neck, since pressure applied to the carotid artery can reduce the flow of blood to the brain and make the child lightheaded.
If your child's pulse is weak or hard to feel and he is not experiencing any obvious duress, take him a doctor. A weak pulse may be a symptom of clogged arteries or diabetes, and it should be dealt with immediately.
3. Measure the pulse. When measuring a child's pulse, it is easiest to measure the pulse for 15 seconds, because young children can be hard to keep still. Use your wristwatch to time 15 seconds, and count the number of beats you feel during this time. Multiply that number by four to get the number of beats per minute. If your child's pulse feels erratic or inconsistent, remeasure by counting the number of beats for a full 60 seconds.
4. Examine the rate. A normal heart rate in children 1 through 10 years old is between 70 and 120 beats per minute. Children older than 10 should have a pulse of 60 to 100 per minute. Those younger than 12 months have faster heart rates, between 100 and 160 per minute. Take the child to a doctor if the pulse is faster than the normal range, as a rapid resting pulse can be a sign of dehydration or infection.
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