Pediatric Vital Signs: Development of a New, Valuable Resource

Show Notes

Pediatric vital signs are more than numbers on a monitor — they are part of a larger clinical picture that includes development, physiology, behavior, medical complexity and careful observation.

In this episode of Acute Conversations, host Dr. Leo Arguelles is joined by Ashley Parish, PT, DPT, PhD, CRT, CCS, and Dawn Drumm, PT, DHSc, two contributors to the new Pediatric Vital Signs Guide. Together, they discuss how the resource came to life, why collaboration across APTA Acute Care, the Academy of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy, and pediatric clinicians was essential, and how the guide can support therapists across settings.

Ashley and Dawn share the challenges of building a practical document from variable pediatric references, the importance of using the guide alongside clinical reasoning, and why pediatric knowledge matters even for therapists who primarily treat adults. From infants in the NICU to adults living with congenital conditions, this episode highlights the need to think across the lifespan.

Today’s Guests:

Dawn Drumm PT, DHSc

ddrumm@luriechildrens.org

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-drumm-b141b455/

IG: drummdawn

Ashley Parish PT, DPT, PhD, CRT, CCS

ashbrown@uab.edu

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-parish-pt-dpt-phd-crt-ccs-b98b60273/