Assessment Of The Normal Newborn Flashcards
Vital Signs/ Measurements: Temp
Axillary- 36.5-37.5 C (97.7- 99.5 F)
Vital Signs/ Measurements: apical
120-160
Vital Signs/ Measurements: Respirations
30-60
Vital Signs/ Measurements: weight
Classification of newborns: 2500-4000g (5lb, 8oz-8lb,13oz)
Small for Gestational Age- SGA
Appropriate for Gestational Age- AGA
Large for Gestational Age- LGA
Vital Signs/ Measurements: length
48-53 cm (19-21 inches)
Small for Gestational Age- SGA
Appropriate for Gestational Age- AGA
Large for Gestational Age- LGA
Vital Signs/ Measurements: Head Circumference:
32-38cm (13-15 inches)
Vital Signs/ Measurements: Chest Circumference
30-36cm (12-14 inches)
Apgar Scoring Chart
- 1-3:
- 4-7:
- 8-10:
- it is done twice: once right after birth & five minutes later
- Assess cardiopulmonary
1-3: CPR & likely intubation
4-7: stimulate the baby
8-10: normal- no intervention
Assessing pulses
make sure to compare upper and lower
Mouth
- Check for facial asymmetry
- Check for hard and soft palate intactness, strength of suck
- Look to see if the tongue is not tied due to short frenulum (if frenulum is short it restricts the tongue),
- Baby can distinguish sweet and bitter
- Epstein’s pearls
— keratin containing cysts- feel hard
— Usually disappear without problems - Precocious teeth- neonatal teeth
- Candida albicans (thrush)
- Cleft lip/pallet
Fontanelles
- Assess both anterior and posterior for at least 18 months
- Document if it is flat or bulging
- Anterior fontanelle closes at 12-18 months
- Posterior fontanelle closes at 2-3 months
Head assessment:
Molding:
Caput succedaneum (cone head):
Cephalohematoma
Caput succedaneum (cone head):
- Collection of fluid due to pressure of presenting part against cervix
- crosses suture lines
Cephalohematoma
swelling on one side of the head due to blood collecting
- A rupture between surfaces of cranial bones
- It is a subperiosteal hemorrhage
- Collection of blood between surface of a cranial bone in the peristeal membrane
- Feels loose first, then by 2 - 3 days to several months it is hard.
- May have jaundice as it resolves
Assessing clavicles:
Tx:?
Assess for shoulder dislocation (in large babies)
- Tx: immobilize the arm
Assessing for congenital hip dysplasia
- The greater trochanter* doesn’t fit (you will hear a crunching or clicking sound)
- Unsymmetrical gluteal folds*, abduct, one leg may be longer than the other
Talipes Equinovarus:
Tx:?
Clubfoot
- Where the foot bends inward
to determine the presence of clubfoot, the nurse moves the foot to the midline
- *Resistance indicates true clubfoot
- Tx: casting
Neurological Maturity Posture
- Assess posture for neurological maturity (4 hours after birth)
- flexed posture = term baby
- flaccid posture = preterm