Question

You are assessing a 5-year-old boy with major trauma. His blood pressure is 70/40 mm Hg and his pulse rate is 140 beats/min. and weak. The child's blood pressure:

a) Is within the normal range for his age
b) Is above the normal range for his age
c) Is below the normal range for his age
d) Cannot be determined without additional information

Answer 1

The blood pressure of the 5-year-old boy with major trauma is below the normal range for his age, indicating potential hypotension and risk for shock.

Step-by-step explanation:

The blood pressure of a 5-year-old boy, which is 70/40 mm Hg with a pulse rate of 140 beats/min., indicates that his blood pressure is c) Is below the normal range for his age. For young children like the one in question, normal blood pressure levels are usually higher than 70/40 mm Hg. Considering the additional information provided, which includes major trauma, a weak and fast pulse rate, it suggests the child might be in a state of shock. This could be due to various reasons such as blood loss, infection, or other causes of circulatory failure. Immediate medical attention is critical to assess and manage the child's condition.

For children aged 3 to 5, the normal systolic range is about 104 to 116 mm Hg and the diastolic range is about 63 to 74 mm Hg. The child's current readings, especially the systolic blood pressure, are significantly lower than the normal expected values, which typically cause concern for pediatric hypotension.