The Downes Score (also known as the Downes–Vidyasagar Score) is a bedside clinical scoring system used to assess the severity of respiratory distress in newborns, especially in settings without immediate blood gas access.
It’s applicable to both preterm and term neonates, and is commonly used in NICUs, special care baby units, and emergency settings to:
- Grade respiratory distress
- Monitor response to treatment (e.g. CPAP, oxygen, surfactant)
- Help decide when escalation (e.g. CPAP, ventilation, referral) is needed
Downes Score – Respiratory Distress in Newborn
Assesses severity of neonatal respiratory distress using the Downes–Vidyasagar clinical score (0–10).
For use by neonatal health professionals only. This tool is a structured aid and does not replace full clinical assessment, pulse oximetry, blood gases, imaging, or local treatment protocols.
Enter clinical findings
Total Downes Score: – / 10
Severity: Not yet calculated
Select categories for all five parameters, then click “Calculate Downes Score” to see the total and severity band.
Typical interpretation: 0–3 = mild respiratory distress; 4–6 = moderate; ≥7 = severe, often warranting urgent escalation (e.g. CPAP, ventilation, referral) as per local guidelines. Always integrate with pulse oximetry, blood gases, chest X-ray, and underlying diagnosis (TTN, RDS, MAS, sepsis, PPHN, etc.).
