Appendicitis likelihood in children with abdominal pain
Right lower quadrant pain on coughing, percussion or hopping (2 points)
Right lower quadrant tenderness (2 points)
Migration of pain to the right lower quadrant
Anorexia
Nausea or vomiting
Fever > 38 °C
Leukocytosis (WBC > 10 ×10⁹/L)
Neutrophilia (absolute neutrophils > 7.5 ×10⁹/L)
Evidence
Original publication
Samuel M. Pediatric appendicitis score. Prospective study of 1170 children aged 4–15 years; 8 variables, cough/percussion/hopping tenderness and right-iliac-fossa tenderness scored 2, the others 1, for a total of 10.
Journal of Pediatric Surgery, 2002
Open source
Validation
Goldman RD, Carter S, Stephens D, et al. Prospective validation of the pediatric appendicitis score. 849 unselected children 1–17 years with abdominal pain; a score ≤ 2 had high validity for ruling out appendicitis and ≥ 7 for predicting it; scores 3–6 needed further investigation. Source of the bands used here.
Journal of Pediatrics, 2008
Open source
Last reviewed: 2026-09
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