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Vital Signs by Age — Normal Ranges Chart

What counts as a normal heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, oxygen level or temperature depends almost entirely on age. A newborn resting heart rate of 140 is healthy; the same number in a resting adult is not. This chart brings the standard textbook ranges for all eight age bands — from newborn to older adult — into one place, each measured in a person who is awake, resting and calm.

AgeHeart rate (awake, resting)Breathing rateBlood pressure (systolic / diastolic)Oxygen (SpO2)Temperature
Newborn (0–1 month)100–160 beats/min30–60 breaths/min60–90 / 20–60 mmHg95% or higher97.7–99.5 °F (36.5–37.5 °C)
Infant (1–12 months)100–160 beats/min30–50 breaths/min80–100 / 50–65 mmHg95% or higher97.7–99.5 °F (36.5–37.5 °C)
Toddler (1–3 years)90–150 beats/min24–40 breaths/min90–110 / 55–70 mmHg95% or higher97.5–99.5 °F (36.4–37.5 °C)
Preschool (3–6 years)80–140 beats/min18–30 breaths/min95–110 / 55–75 mmHg95% or higher97.5–99.5 °F (36.4–37.5 °C)
School-age (6–12 years)70–120 beats/min18–25 breaths/min100–120 / 60–80 mmHg95% or higher97.5–99.3 °F (36.4–37.4 °C)
Teen (13–18 years)60–100 beats/min12–20 breaths/min100–120 / 60–80 mmHg95% or higher97.5–99.3 °F (36.4–37.4 °C)
Adult (18–65 years)60–100 beats/min12–20 breaths/min90–120 / 60–80 mmHg95% or higher97–99 °F (36.1–37.2 °C)
Older adult (65+ years)60–100 beats/min12–20 breaths/min90–140 / 60–90 mmHg95% or higher96.8–98.6 °F (36.0–37.0 °C)

Open any age band for its own page, with measuring tips for that age:

Newborn0–1 month — heart rate 100–160Infant1–12 months — heart rate 100–160Toddler1–3 years — heart rate 90–150Preschool3–6 years — heart rate 80–140School-age6–12 years — heart rate 70–120Teen13–18 years — heart rate 60–100Adult18–65 years — heart rate 60–100Older adult65+ years — heart rate 60–100
Printable Wall ChartThe whole chart on one page, ready to print for the clinic wall, classroom or fridge — with a QR code back to this page.Fever Guide — When Is It a Fever?The 100.4°F (38.0°C) rule, the under-3-months rule, how to measure at each age, and the warning signs that mean care should not wait.How to Measure Vital SignsGetting a reading worth trusting: cuff sizes, counting for a full minute, and the mistakes that make home readings wrong.

How to use this chart

Find the age band first, then compare like with like: these are awake, resting values. Crying, feeding, activity, pain and fever all push heart and breathing rates up for a while, and sleep pulls them down — both are expected, and neither should be compared directly with this chart. If a reading surprises you, rest quietly for a few minutes and measure once more before worrying.

Frequently asked questions

What are normal vital signs for a child?

There is no single set of numbers for “a child” — normal heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure all change a lot with age. A newborn’s resting heart rate of 100–160 beats a minute and breathing rate of 30–60 a minute would be alarming in an adult but are completely normal in the first weeks of life. That is why this chart is organised by age band: find the band, and compare like with like.

Why do babies’ hearts beat so much faster than adults’?

A baby’s heart is small, so each beat moves only a small amount of blood. To deliver the oxygen a growing body needs, the heart simply beats more often. As the heart grows, each beat does more work and the resting rate slows — from 100–160 in a newborn to the adult 60–100. Breathing follows the same pattern for the same reason.

When is a temperature a fever?

A temperature of 100.4°F (38.0°C) or higher is a fever at any age. One age band has its own urgent rule: any fever in a baby under 3 months old needs medical care the same day. Our fever guide covers thresholds by age, how to measure at each age, and the warning signs that mean care should not wait.

What oxygen saturation (SpO2) is normal?

On room air, 95% or higher is the normal range at every age in this chart, and most healthy people read 95–100%. Home finger sensors misread easily — cold fingers, nail polish, movement and a poor fit all drag the number down — so repeat a surprising reading with warm hands and a still finger. Whatever the number, a person who is struggling to breathe needs prompt medical care.

Are readings during sleep different?

Yes. Heart rate and breathing rate both fall during sleep — a sleeping newborn’s heart rate can dip well below the awake range, and that is normal. The ranges in this chart are for a person who is awake and resting. Compare a reading with the state it was taken in: calm and awake is the fairest comparison.

How accurate are home readings?

Technique matters more than the device. The commonest errors are measuring straight after activity, crying or feeding; a blood-pressure cuff that is the wrong size (too small reads high); talking during a blood-pressure reading; and an armpit temperature treated as exact when it reads lower and less precisely than other methods. Rest, the right cuff, a full minute of counting, and repeating a surprising reading once will fix most odd results.

Please note: This page is patient education, not medical advice. Normal ranges are guides for a person who is awake, resting and measured correctly — a single reading outside the range is not a diagnosis. Abnormal readings in someone who is unwell, breathing with difficulty, unusually drowsy or simply worrying you warrant medical care — seek it promptly rather than re-checking at home.