| FLACC scale | |
| Purpose: | used to assess pain in children |
| Synonyms: | Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale |
The FLACC scale or Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability scale is a measurement used to assess pain for children between the ages of 2 months and 7 years or individuals that are unable to communicate their pain. The scale is scored in a range of 0–10 with 0 representing no pain. The scale has five criteria, which are each assigned a score of 0, 1 or 2.
| Criteria[1] | Score 0 | Score 1 | Score 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Face | No particular expression or smile | Occasional grimace or frown, withdrawn, uninterested | Frequent to constant quivering chin, clenched jaw | |
| Legs | Normal position or relaxed | Uneasy, restless, tense | Kicking, or legs drawn up | |
| Activity | Lying quietly, normal position, moves easily | Squirming, shifting, back and forth, tense | Arched, rigid or jerking | |
| Cry | No cry (awake or asleep) | Moans or whimpers; occasional complaint | Crying steadily, screams or sobs, frequent complaints | |
| Consolability | Content, relaxed | Reassured by occasional touching, hugging or being talked to, distractible | Difficult to console or comfort |
The FLACC scale has also been found to be accurate for use with adults in intensive-care units (ICU) who are unable to speak due to intubation. The FLACC scale offered the same evaluation of pain as did the Checklist of Nonverbal Pain Indicators (CNPI) scale which is used in ICUs.[2]