Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category Scale

Clinical Features

Category

Score

• normal at age appropriate level

• school age child attends regular school classroom

normal

1

• conscious, alert and able to interact at an age appropriate level

• school age child attending regular school classroom but grade perhaps not appropriate for age

• may have a mild neurologic deficit

mild disability

2

• conscious

• sufficient cerebral function for age-appropriate independent activities of daily life

• school age child attending special education classroom

• may have learning deficit

moderate disability

3

• conscious

• dependent on others for daily support because of impaired brain function

severe disability

4

• any degree of coma without any of the criteria for brain death

• unawareness, even if awake in appearance, without interaction with the environment

• cerebral unresponsiveness

• no evidence of cortical function and not aroused by verbal stimuli

• possibly some reflexive responses, spontaneous eye opening and/or sleep-wake cycles

coma or vegetative state

5

• apnea, OR

• areflexia, OR

• electroencephalographic (EEG) silence

brain death

6