Compared with adults, the normal pediatric pulse is typically:

• A. Slower than adults
• B. Faster than adults depending on age
• C. The same as adults
• D. Highly variable and unpredictable

Answer: (B)

Normal pediatric pulse is higher than in adults and changes with age. In children, the heart beat is faster to help maintain cardiac output because the stroke volume—the amount of blood the heart ejects with each beat—is smaller early in life. As children grow, their hearts enlarge and stroke volume increases, so the heart rate can slow down toward adult values. This is why the resting pulse in younger children is much faster and gradually becomes closer to adult ranges as age increases. For example, newborns typically have a higher resting rate that decreases through childhood and adolescence, while adults tend to have the lowest resting rates. So the best description is that pediatric pulse is faster than adults, with the exact rate depending on the child’s age.