Final answer:
A normal pulse rate for an infant less than one year old typically is around 120 bpm but can be around 130 ± 5 bpm. The percent uncertainty in the measurement is approximately 3.85%. Heart rate is a crucial part of newborn assessments, such as the Apgar score.
Step-by-step explanation:
Normal Pulse Rates for Infants
An infant's pulse, also known as heart rate (HR), can give important information about their health. For a newborn, the resting HRs are typically around 120 beats per minute (bpm), and this rate tends to decrease as the child grows. However, it is normal for an infant under one year of age to have a pulse rate between 130 ± 5 bpm. With age, the resting heart rate will gradually decrease until young adulthood and then begin to slowly increase again as one gets older.
The percent uncertainty of an infant's pulse rate measured to be 130 ± 5 bpm can be calculated by dividing the range of variation (which is the ±5) by the measured heart rate of 130 and then multiplying by 100 to get the percentage. This gives us an approximate percent uncertainty of 3.85%.
In the context of newborn assessments like the Apgar score, heart rate is one of the most critical criteria. The heart rate, along with respiration rate, is closely monitored immediately after birth to assess the infant's condition and determine the necessity for medical intervention. Newborns with heart rates below the expected range might require urgent medical care.