What does the FLACC scale assess?

What does the FLACC scale assess?

• A. Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability
• B. Temperature, Heart Rate, Respirations, Blood Pressure
• C. Mood, Energy, Appetite, Sleep
• D. Mobility, Balance, Coordination, Strength

Answer: (A)

This tool assesses pain in children who cannot communicate reliably. FLACC stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability. Each of these five categories is scored from 0 to 2 based on observable behavior, and the scores are added to yield a total between 0 and 10. It’s especially useful for infants and young children or those with limited ability to express pain, because it relies on outward cues rather than the child’s own report. For example, facial expression can show distress, leg movement or restlessness reflects discomfort, general activity indicates agitation, the quality of crying reveals pain intensity, and how easily the child can be soothed provides additional context about their level of distress. Higher total scores signal greater pain and guide analgesia decisions. The other options describe different health measures—vital signs, mood/appetite/sleep, or mobility—topics not captured by the FLACC scale.

This tool assesses pain in children who cannot communicate reliably. FLACC stands for Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability. Each of these five categories is scored from 0 to 2 based on observable behavior, and the scores are added to yield a total between 0 and 10. It’s especially useful for infants and young children or those with limited ability to express pain, because it relies on outward cues rather than the child’s own report. For example, facial expression can show distress, leg movement or restlessness reflects discomfort, general activity indicates agitation, the quality of crying reveals pain intensity, and how easily the child can be soothed provides additional context about their level of distress. Higher total scores signal greater pain and guide analgesia decisions. The other options describe different health measures—vital signs, mood/appetite/sleep, or mobility—topics not captured by the FLACC scale.