PAED: Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale
2004A five-item scale developed specifically for paediatric emergence delirium after anaesthesia. It is genuine within that domain but should not be mixed with general PICU delirium assessments such as CAPD or pCAM-ICU.
Classification
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Tool and original sources
No direct copy is linked here. The original paper and a Google Images search are available below. Image results may be unofficial; check the version and source before use.
Original and selected diagnostic-accuracy papers
- Original paperSikich N, Lerman J. Development and psychometric evaluation of the pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium scale. Anesthesiology. 2004;100(5):1138-45. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200405000-00015. PMID: 15114210.
This is the original published source for PAED. It is the main source for the method, its intended use and the evidence available at publication.
- Selected diagnostic-accuracy studyBajwa SA, Costi D, Cyna AM. A comparison of emergence delirium scales following general anesthesia in children. Paediatric anaesthesia. 2010;20(8):704-11. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-9592.2010.03328.x. PMID: 20497353.
This diagnostic-accuracy study evaluated PAED in post-anaesthesia care unit against independent subjective clinical assessment by an experienced paediatric anaesthetist. It reported sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95% in 117 consecutive children younger than 18 years recovering from general anaesthesia.
- Selected diagnostic-accuracy studyJanssen NJ, Tan EY, Staal M, Janssen EP, Leroy PL, Lousberg R, et al. On the utility of diagnostic instruments for pediatric delirium in critical illness: an evaluation of the Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale, the Delirium Rating Scale 88, and the Delirium Rating Scale-Revised R-98. Intensive care medicine. 2011;37(8):1331-7. doi: 10.1007/s00134-011-2244-y. PMID: 21567109.
This diagnostic-accuracy study evaluated PAED in paediatric ICU at a tertiary university medical centre against multidisciplinary clinical gold-standard delirium diagnosis. It reported sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 98% in 182 non-electively admitted critically ill children aged 1-17 years; PAED was completed in 144.
At a glance
- Purpose
- Contextual, historical or service record
- Population
- Paediatric
- Setting
- Perioperative
- Time
- <2 min
- Items
- 5
- Score or threshold
- PAED score ≥10
Format: The instrument records 5 scored items or observations. It is a paediatric instrument for paediatric use in Perioperative. The stated administration time is <2 min. The published result is recorded using PAED score ≥10.
Evidence
Reported sensitivity and specificity
Later validation or evaluation · 2009 — pmid:19645978
- Denominator
- Reported source unit: 316 (analysis unit not fully reconciled)
- Reference standard
- Separate clinical assessment of agitation consistent with emergence delirium
Earliest DTA evaluation identified in the current audit; see the linked source and methodological caveats.
More evidence and citation details
- Full name
- Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium Scale
- Also known as
- PAED
- Evidence summary
- multi-study
- Diagnostic-accuracy studies
- 5
- Reference standard
- Separate clinical assessment of agitation consistent with emergence delirium
- Citation
- Sikich N, Lerman J Development and psychometric evaluation of the pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium scale Anesthesiology. 2004;100(5):1138-45. PMID 15114210
Copyright and reuse
- Information checked
- 2026-07-19
Instrument-specific terms apply. See the access and copyright policy or send a correction.
Sources checked 2026-07-29. How profiles are prepared.