CAPD (Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium)
The Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium, eight observations over a nursing shift, each 0 to 4, total 0 to 32, with 9 or more the validated positive screen.
Open the calculator → Runs in your browser. Data leaves only if you deliberately send a problem report from the interactive tool.
Example
- 1. Eye contact with the caregiver
- 2
- 2. Purposeful actions
- 2
- 3. Awareness of surroundings
- 1
- 4. Communicates needs and wants
- 2
- 5. Restlessness
- 2
- 6. Inconsolability
- 1
- 7. Underactivity while awake
- 0
- 8. Slow to respond to interaction
- 2
Result: CAPD total 12 of 32: at or above the positive cut of 9.
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What the result means
- Items 1 to 4
- Preserved function: eye contact, purposeful actions, awareness, communication. Never scores 4, always scores 0.
- Items 5 to 8
- Abnormal behavior: restless, inconsolable, underactive, slow to respond. Never scores 0, always scores 4.
- Baseline
- Every item is rated against the child’s own developmental baseline.
- 9 or more
- Positive screen: a delirium workup is warranted.
What you enter
- 1. Eye contact with the caregiver
- 2. Purposeful actions
- 3. Awareness of surroundings
- 4. Communicates needs and wants
- 5. Restlessness
- 6. Inconsolability
- 7. Underactivity while awake
- 8. Slow to respond to interaction
Full field descriptions
- 1. Eye contact with the caregiver [4 - never; 3 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 1 - often; 0 - always]
- 2. Purposeful actions [4 - never; 3 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 1 - often; 0 - always]
- 3. Awareness of surroundings [4 - never; 3 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 1 - often; 0 - always]
- 4. Communicates needs and wants [4 - never; 3 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 1 - often; 0 - always]
- 5. Restlessness [0 - never; 1 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 3 - often; 4 - always]
- 6. Inconsolability [0 - never; 1 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 3 - often; 4 - always]
- 7. Underactivity while awake [0 - never; 1 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 3 - often; 4 - always]
- 8. Slow to respond to interaction [0 - never; 1 - rarely; 2 - sometimes; 3 - often; 4 - always]
How this is calculated
Traube C, Silver G, Kearney J, et al. Cornell Assessment of Pediatric Delirium: a valid, rapid, observational tool for screening delirium in the PICU. Crit Care Med. 2014;42(3):656-663. Read the source ↗
A reference and educational tool. Not medical, legal, or financial advice, and not a substitute for clinician judgment.