Paediatric Glasgow Coma Scale

The Paediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (also known as Paediatric Glasgow Coma Score or simply PGCS) is the equivalent of the Glasgow Coma Scale used to assess the mental state of adult patients. As many of the assessments for an adult patient would not be appropriate for infants, the scale was modified slightly. As with the GCS, the PGCS comprises three tests: eye, verbal and motor responses. The three values separately as well as their sum are considered. The lowest possible PGCS (the sum) is 3 (deep coma or death) whilst the highest is 15 (fully awake and aware person).

Best eye response: (E)

4. Eyes opening spontaneously
3. Eye opening to speech
2. Eye opening to pain
1. No eye opening

Best verbal response: (V)

5. Infant coos or babbles (normal activity)
4. Infant is irritable and continually cries
3. Infant cries to pain
2. Infant moans to pain
1. No verbal response

Best motor responses: (M)

6. Infant moves spontaneously or purposefully
5. Infant withdraws from touch
4. Infant withdraws from pain
3. Abnormal flexion to pain for an infant (decorticate response)
2. Extension to pain (decerebrate response)
1. No motor response

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Any combined score of less than eight represents a significant risk of mortality.