Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Blantyre coma scale

Updated on
Edit
Like
Comment
Share on FacebookTweet on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Reddit

The Blantyre coma scale is a modification of the Pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale, designed to assess malarial coma in children.

Contents

It was designed by Drs. Terrie Taylor and Malcolm Molyneux in 1987, and named for the Malawian city of Blantyre, site of the Blantyre Malaria Project.

Using the scale

The score assigned by the Blantyre coma scale is a number from 0 to 5. The score is determined by adding the results from three groups: Motor response, verbal response, and eye movement.

The minimum score is 0 which indicates poor results while the maximum is 5 indicating good results. All scores under 5 are considered abnormal.

Eye movement

  • 1 - Watches or follows
  • 0 - Fails to watch or follow

    • Best motor response

  • 2 - Localizes painful stimulus
  • 1 - Withdraws limb from painful stimulus
  • 0 - No response or inappropriate response

    • Best verbal response

  • 2 - Cries appropriately with pain, or, if verbal, speaks
  • 1 - Moan or abnormal cry with pain
  • 0 - No vocal response to pain

    • References

    Blantyre coma scale Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA