This version was machine-translated from German and has not been medically reviewed. The authoritative version is the German version.

Glasgow Coma Scale (under 2 years)

Modified GCS for infants and young children according to AWMF 024-018 – sum 3–15

Eye opening (U)

spontaneous 4 to voice 3 to pain stimulus 2 no eye opening 1

Verbal response (V)

babbles, chatters 5 irritable crying 4 Crying in response to pain 3 Grunting, whimpering in response to pain stimulus 2 no response 1

Motor response (M)

Spontaneous motor activity 6 Withdrawal on touch 5 Withdrawal on painful stimulus 4 abnormal flexion response 3 abnormal extension response 2 no response 1

Severity of traumatic brain injury by GCS

Total	Designation according to source
13–15	mild TBI (GCS 13–15)
9–12	moderate TBI (GCS 9–12)
3–8	severe TBI (GCS ≤ 8)

The guideline assigns a GCS of 13–15 to mild TBI, 9–12 to moderate and ≤ 8 to severe – and emphasizes that severity is of secondary importance for the care of the current patient: treatment is based on the current clinical and neurological findings and their course, with repeated examinations at close intervals in the early phase.

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Sources

S2k guideline traumatic brain injury in childhood and adolescence (AWMF registry number 024-018), 2022, version March 2023 – table 4: modified Glasgow Coma Scale for < 24 months; chapter symptoms (severity grades) Society for Neonatology and Pediatric Intensive Care (GNPI) with DGKJ, DGKCH, DGNC et al., 2022. Guideline (freely accessible, full text read)

Scientific basis last reviewed: September 2026.

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Note

Calculation aid for healthcare professionals. Percentiles and z-scores describe the position of a measured value in the reference population; clinical assessment remains with the treating physician.