Estimating Body Surface Area in Children

For pediatric patients of average size, body surface area may be estimated with the scale on the left. Match weight to corresponding surface area. For other pediatric patients, use the scale on the right. Lay a straightedge on the correct height and weight points for your patient, and observe the point where it intersects on the surface area scale at center.

Reproduced from Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 16th edition. Courtesy W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia. PA.

Estimating Body Surface Area in Adults

Use a straightedge to connect the patient’s height in the left-hand column to weight in the right-hand column. The intersection of this line with the center scale estimates the body surface area.

Source: Dubois D, Dubois EF. A formula to estimate the appropriate surface area if height and weight be known. Archives of Internal Medicine. 1916:17;863-71. Copyright©2009, American Medical Association. All rights reserved.