A 5-year-old child moans and makes incomprehensible sounds following an injury. According to the modified Glasgow Coma Scale, what score is given for verbal response?

In assessing the verbal response of a 5-year-old child using the modified Glasgow Coma Scale, the score is determined by the clarity and coherence of the child's verbalizations. A score of 1 indicates no verbal response at all, which is appropriate for a child who is moaning and making incomprehensible sounds.

The scale evaluates responses based on a range of criteria:

• A score of 2 would apply if the child were making sounds that were not understandable but were still somewhat purposeful.

• A score of 3 indicates inappropriate words or a response that might reflect some level of awareness.

• A score of 4 would be assigned if the child could give appropriate responses, such as speaking coherently or responding to questions with words.

In this case, because the child is only moaning and cannot express any intelligible words, a score of 1 accurately reflects the lack of any verbal communication. This evaluation is crucial in assessing consciousness levels after an injury, particularly in young children whose responses can differ significantly from adults.