Pediatric Fluid Maintenance Calculator

Enter a child's weight in kg or lb to get daily (mL/day) and hourly (mL/hr) IV maintenance fluid requirements using the Holliday-Segar formula.

Use the Pediatric Fluid Maintenance Calculator

Patient Weight

Holliday-Segar Formula

First 10 kg 100 mL/kg/day
10 – 20 kg 50 mL/kg/day
Above 20 kg 20 mL/kg/day

Medical Disclaimer

This tool is for clinical education and decision support only. Results must be verified by a licensed clinician and individualized based on the patient's complete clinical picture. Do not use this calculator as the sole basis for fluid orders.

Enter patient weight and click Calculate

Daily and hourly fluid requirements will appear here

Summary

This calculator applies the Holliday-Segar method to estimate IV maintenance fluid requirements for pediatric patients: 100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg of body weight, 50 mL/kg for the next 10 kg (10–20 kg), and 20 mL/kg for each kilogram above 20 kg. Results are shown as a 24-hour daily volume (mL/day) and an hourly infusion rate (mL/hr). Weight can be entered in kilograms or pounds. A medical disclaimer is displayed prominently — this tool supports clinical reasoning but does not replace physician judgment.

How it works

  1. Enter the patient's weight in kilograms or pounds; pounds are converted to kg automatically.
  2. The calculator applies the first bracket: 100 mL/kg for each kg up to 10 kg.
  3. The second bracket adds 50 mL/kg for each kg between 10 kg and 20 kg.
  4. The third bracket adds 20 mL/kg for each kg above 20 kg.
  5. The three bracket volumes are summed to give the total daily requirement (mL/day).
  6. The daily total is divided by 24 to produce the hourly infusion rate (mL/hr).

Use cases

  • Determine IV maintenance fluid rate for a hospitalized child before ordering a pump setting.
  • Cross-check a nurse's bedside fluid calculation before infusion start.
  • Teach medical students and residents the Holliday-Segar three-bracket approach.
  • Estimate daily fluid needs for infants, children, and adolescents beyond the neonatal period from a single weight entry.
  • Quickly recalculate when a patient's weight is updated during admission.
  • Screen for orders that deviate significantly from standard maintenance ranges.
  • Support documentation of fluid calculations in clinical notes.
  • Assist in PICU fluid titration discussions when baseline maintenance is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-15 · Reviewed by Nham Vu