Paediatric Examination Flashcards
What are the aspects of the general inspection of the infant?
- Alert, lethargic, playing, interacting with environment?
- Well, pink, moist mucus membranes?
- Uncomfortable, pain, crying?
- Jaundice, rashes?
- Expose fully and look meticulously for rashes.
How do you assess the vitals of an infant?
- Temperature, RR, HR, BP
- CRT central and peripheral
- Dehydration - fontanelles, mucous membranes, wet nappies?
What are the things to look for in a respiratory examination of an infant?
- Nasal flaring, inter/sub-costal recession, tracheal tug, head bobbing.
- Tripod position, chest shape normal?
- Stridor, wheeze?
- Auscultate - prolonged expiratory phase?
What are the things to look for in the cardiovascular examination of an infant?
- Peripheral and central cyanosis, clubbing?
- Peripheral/sacral oedema?
- Brachial and femoral pulse, radio-femoral delay?
- Auscultate
What are the things to look for in a GI and GU examination of an infant?
- Distension, visible peristalsis, hernias?
- Organomegaly, ascites?
- Bowel sounds, wasted buttocks, ulcers (IBD)?
- External genitalia if relevant
What are the things to look for in a neurological examination of an infant?
- PEARL, tense fontanelles, normotensive?
- Gait? Broad based normal for infants.
- Assess tone in limbs, hold young babies prone.
What are the things to look for in an MSK examination of an infant?
- Watch child walk and play, limp?
- Examine all 4 limbs for digits.
- Symmetrical skin creases on thigh?
- Inspect spine
What are the things to look for in an ENT examination of an infant?
- Leave till last!
- Tongue depressor
- Lymph nodes
What should you check in a newborn examination on the head?
- Skull - anterior fontanelle, measure circumference
- Face - dysmorphic features
- Ears - normally placed with open external auditory canals
- Mouth - visualise palate and feel suck
- Eyes - red reflex
What should you check in a newborn examination in these fields?
- Neck
- Arms
- Hands
- Chest
- Normal movement and head control, clavicles intact
- Equal movement on both sides
- 5 fingers, skin creases, palmar grasp
- Air entry and breath sounds, heart sounds
What should you check in a newborn examination in the abdomen and genitalia?
1, Abdomen - organomegaly, masses, hernias, check anus is patent and normally situated.
2. Genitalia - penis and both testes felt in scrotum, normal anatomy in females
What should you check in a newborn examination in the legs?
- Equal movement on both sides
- Equal length and skin folds
- Femoral pulses
- Stepping relfex
What should you check for in a newborn examination in these fields?
- Hips
- Feet
- Spine
- Skin
- Hips normal, dislocatable, or dislocated.
- 5 toes and position of feet
- Straight spine, skin lesions near base of spine.
- Birthmarks, jaundice
