What age to take a child's radial pulse

[gfoster6993]

Can someone please help me with this question? We were asked in class at what age can a child's radial pulse be taken. I just assumed that you could take a radial pulse at any age. Any comments will be appreciated. Thanks

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

I was taught that a radial pulse is considered reliable on those ages 2 and higher. Below the age of two, take an apical pulse.

[6mostogo]

I was taught that a radial pulse is considered reliable on those ages 2 and higher. Below the age of two, take an apical pulse.

Under the age of two, a brachial pulse should be taken to assess peripheral pulses.

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

I guess the best advice would be to use your facilities policy and procedure. Where I work, apical pulses on children under 2 are required. Peripheral pulses may exhibit a deficit because of the normally high heart rates at that age and are considered unreliable if there's any type of cardiac issue present at that age. I would feel comfortable using a brachial pulse on someone below the age of 2 if it regularly comparable to the apical pulse.

[arabianeyez83]

Brachial pulse is what they teach you in BLS for infants.

[6mostogo]

I guess the best advice would be to use your facilities policy and procedure. Where I work, apical pulses on children under 2 are required. Peripheral pulses may exhibit a deficit because of the normally high heart rates at that age and are considered unreliable if there's any type of cardiac issue present at that age. I would feel comfortable using a brachial pulse on someone below the age of 2 if it regularly comparable to the apical pulse.

Thanks for sharing this. I wasn't trying to contradict that the apical pulse is most accurate, just thought that this wasn't what the OP was asking. Again thanks for sharing your rationale for us students. :)

[dthfytr, ADN, LPN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-I]

I'd disagree and say nursing judgment comes into play. Get an accurate pulse by whatever method you're most confident with in any given patient. Auscultating an apical pulse is pretty hard to get wrong. FYI; A side note about automatic vital sign checkers. Multiple times with multiple brands I've had really sick looking patients and a normal pulse. Rechecking manually showed thet the patients pulse was exactly double what the machine read. Machine says 75, not bad. Manual pule says 150, oh crap!

[Reno1978, BSN, RN]

Brachial pulse is what they teach you in BLS for infants.

You're absolutely right.

However, you're palpating the brachial pulse to see if the infant HAS a pulse, not to document a heart rate, correct?

[schack]

I work L&D/mother/baby. I assess for pulses, including can I feel a radial pulse. I document heart rate with an apical only. Not really sure if you are looking for when you can feel a radial pulse or when can you use it to accurately assess heart rate?

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

schack- you know you go straight for the belly button. Don't deny it.