Newborn Assessment Flashcards
What are some characteristics we look at for gestation?
Skin
Lanugo
Plantar surface
Breast
Eye/ear
Genitals
What is the tonic neck reflex?
Fencing position
Elicited when the newborn is supine and the head is turned to one side. In response, the extremities on the same side straighten whereas the opposite side flex.
What is the rooting reflex?
Elicited when the side of the newborns mouth or cheek is touched. In response, the newborn turns towards that side and opens the lips to suck.
What is the sucking reflex?
Elicited when an object is placed in the newborns mouth or anything touches the lips
What is the palmar grasping reflex
Elicited by stimulating the newborn palm with a finger or object and the newborn grasps and holds the object or finger firmly
What is the moro reflex?
Elicited when the newborn is startled by a loud noise or lifted slightly above the crib and then suddenly lowered.
In response, the newborn straightens arms and hands outward while the knees flex
What is the stepping reflex?
When held upright with 1 foot touching a flat surface, the newborn puts 1 foot in front of the other end “walks”
Normal heart rate and respiratory rate for newborns?
Heart rate: 110-160 bpm
Resp: 30-60
BP for newborns?
50/30 - 70/45
Normal weight for newborn?
2500-4000 grams
5lb 8oz to 8lb 13 oz
What is the axillary temp for newborns?
36.5-37.2 C
When is jaundice normal in newborns?
A buildup of bilirubin in the blood is normal after 24 hours up to a week after delivery
What is caput head?
Edematous swelling in the fetal scalp caused by pressure from uterus or vaginal wall during delivery and it disappears without treatment
What is normal muscle tone for a full-term baby?
Flexed and symmetric
What is lanugo
Find hair that baby is born with. More present in preterm babies. Helps keep vernix in place. This finding is normal.
What does it mean if fontanelles are bulging?
Too much intracranial pressure
What does it mean if fontanelle are sunken?
Dehydration
What is a cephalhematoma
Accumulation of blood under the scalp. It does not cross suture lines.
When should a baby pass meconium
Within 24-48 hours of life
How does meconium look for a breast fed baby?
Stool is seedy, yellow mustard gold and soft to liquid; stools more frequent
How is meconium for formula fed infants?
Stool is pale yellow, formed and firmer
What is habituation?
Can a baby shut out repetitive stimuli?
What is large for gestational age (LGA)
Those who plot above the 90th percentile curve on intrauterine growth curves
What is appropriate for gestational age (AGA)?
Those who plot between the 10th and the 90th percentile growth curse
How are newborns assigned a category?
It depends on birthweight, length, occipital frontal head circumference, and gestational age
