Pediatric Trauma Score Calculator

Pediatric Trauma Score Calculator for Pediatrics. The component labels totals at most 8 as concerning and 9-12 as its lower-concern group. Do not convert these categories into a fixed survival probability or permission to bypass a trauma center. The original Tepas study established an association with injury severity in its cohort; that is historical evidence rather than current transport-policy validation.

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

How this calculator works

The Pediatric Trauma Score adds six domain values, each selected from2, 1, and -1, for a total from -6 to 12. Unlike many warning scores, a lower total represents greater injury concern. It is a historical pediatric trauma severity/triage aid, not a contemporary universal destination rule.

When to use this calculator

Use only within a trauma service that has specified how this historical score fits its workflow. Immediate assessment, resuscitation, injury pattern, physiology, and regional trauma-system criteria determine care; completing the score must not delay them.

Inputs used

  • Weight
  • Airway
  • Systolic blood pressure
  • Level of consciousness
  • Fractures
  • Wounds

Clinical interpretation

The component labels totals at most 8 as concerning and 9-12 as its lower-concern group. Do not convert these categories into a fixed survival probability or permission to bypass a trauma center. The original Tepas study established an association with injury severity in its cohort; that is historical evidence rather than current transport-policy validation.

Worked example

Selected domain weights 2, 2, 1, 1, -1, and 1 give 2 +2 +1 +1 -1 +1 =6. This is below the component's 9-12 lower-concern band. The earlier narrative called a child with impaired consciousness reassuring in appearance; that inconsistency has been removed. The example demonstrates addition only.

Limitations and safety notes

Airway and neurological ratings require clinical judgment and may change after intervention. The score can compress very different injury patterns into the same total. The previous arbitrary age/weight exclusion and mortality certainty were removed. Current ACS field-triage guidance provides a separate system-level context, not endorsement of this component as its algorithm.

Frequently asked questions

Does a lower score mean less injury?

No. Lower Pediatric Trauma Scores indicate greater concern.

Does 6 predict one specific outcome?

No. It is an aggregate severity signal, not an individual prognosis.

Can a high score decide hospital destination?

Not alone. Use the regional trauma system's criteria and the clinical assessment.

References

  • Tepas1987 original PTS cohort and injury-severity association. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3102714/
  • ACS current field-triage guideline identity, distinct from historical PTS thresholds. https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/trauma/systems/field-triage-guidelines/

Editorial review and citation methodology

Maintained by the Quick Medical Calculator Editorial Team. Content record date: September 7, 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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