Breathing and ventilation
Tidal volume by weight
Tidal volumes from 3 to 8 mL/kg for lung-protective ventilation.
For education. Check against your unit's guidance and a second clinician before use.
Use ideal (predicted) body weight for height, especially in children with obesity.
kg
mL/kg
Fill in the boxes above to see the result.
Before you use this
- PALICC-2 advises tidal volumes at or below the normal physiological range for the child: about 3–6 mL/kg for children with poor lung compliance, and 5–8 mL/kg where compliance is better preserved.
- Adjust using plateau pressure (PALICC-2: 28 cmH₂O or less in most children) and driving pressure, not the number alone.
- The volume the ventilator reports can differ from what reaches the lungs, especially in small children and with leaks around uncuffed tubes.
How this is calculated
- Tidal volume (mL) = weight (kg) × mL/kg
Sources
Checked by PICUlearn, 21 Sept 2026.