Pediatric Sepsis Criteria Calculator

Pediatric Sepsis Criteria Calculator for Pediatrics. Sepsis requires infection plus at least two Phoenix points; septic shock additionally requires at least one cardiovascular point. These are definitions applied to an assessed score. Failure to meet them does not exclude evolving infection-associated illness or justify delaying care.

For shared guidance on choosing a tool and documenting results, read the clinical calculator workflow.

How this calculator works

This page interprets an authorized completed Phoenix Sepsis Score, not a SIRS count. It accepts a total from zero through 13 and the already assigned cardiovascular contribution from zero through six. It checks that the cardiovascular contribution does not exceed the total and that the remaining contribution is possible.

When to use this calculator

Use the definition interpreter for an eligible patient younger than 18 with suspected or confirmed infection and a correctly completed Phoenix assessment. It excludes birth hospitalization and patients below 37 weeks postconceptional age. Phoenix describes organ dysfunction and is not an early screening tool.

Inputs used

  • Younger than 18 years and within Phoenix eligible population?
  • Suspected or confirmed infection?
  • Completed Phoenix Sepsis Score
  • Cardiovascular component points already assigned

Clinical interpretation

Sepsis requires infection plus at least two Phoenix points; septic shock additionally requires at least one cardiovascular point. These are definitions applied to an assessed score. Failure to meet them does not exclude evolving infection-associated illness or justify delaying care.

Worked example

With suspected infection, a Phoenix total of 2 and cardiovascular contribution of 1 meet the Phoenix septic-shock definition. Total 2 with cardiovascular contribution zero meets the sepsis definition without the shock criterion. Total 1 does not meet the definition even when that point is cardiovascular.

Limitations and safety notes

The calculator cannot assign domain points or adjudicate suspected infection. It does not reproduce the Phoenix physiological matrix, select a treatment, or substitute for the current local sepsis pathway. Early assessment and treatment must not wait for organ dysfunction to cross a score boundary.

Frequently asked questions

Does a Phoenix total below two exclude sepsis clinically?

No. It does not establish safety or exclude evolving illness, and the score is not an early rule-out screen.

Are tachycardia and tachypnea enough to score two here?

No. This page uses a completed Phoenix organ-dysfunction score, not a legacy SIRS sum.

How is septic shock distinguished?

In an eligible child with infection and at least two total points, one or more cardiovascular points meet the Phoenix shock criterion.

References

  • International2024 Phoenix consensus population and sepsis/septic-shock definitions. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38245889/
  • Phoenix total0-13, cardiovascular0-6, other domains maximum7 and infection-associated definition boundaries. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2814296
  • Current SCCM adoption of Phoenix definition; sepsis>=2 with suspected infection and cardiovascular>=1 for shock. https://www.sccm.org/clinical-resources/sepsis-definitions

Editorial review and citation methodology

Maintained by the Quick Medical Calculator Editorial Team. Content record date: September 9, 2026. A content date is not evidence of independent clinical review. Individual clinical sign-off is not recorded on this page.

  • Prefer original validation studies for scoring systems and prediction tools.
  • Use current specialty society guidance, transplant allocation policy, public health guidance, or regulator resources when they govern clinical use.
  • Include limitations and safety notes when a calculator is population-specific, context-dependent, or unsuitable as a standalone decision tool.

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