According to the rule of nines, an infant's legs count as the same percentage of body surface area as an adult.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not applicable
• D. I don't know

Answer: (B)

The rule of nines uses fixed percentages that reflect adult body proportions. In adults, each leg accounts for about 18% of total body surface area (9% front + 9% back). Infants, however, have different proportions: their heads are larger and their legs are proportionally smaller, so each leg is roughly 14% of TBSA (together about 28%), while the head is around 18%. Because of these differences, an infant’s legs do not count as the same percentage as an adult’s legs. In clinical practice, the Lund and Browder chart is used for children to estimate TBSA more accurately.