The normal newborn

Question 1

After what gestation is the newborn considered a term infant?

Answer 1

37 weeks

Question 2

At what gestation is the newborn considered a post term infant?

Answer 2

41 weeks

Question 3

What is the normal weight range of healthy infants?

Answer 3

2.5kg to 4kg

Question 4

What 3 tests should an infant have in the first day of life?

Answer 4

Universal hearing screening
Hip screening and USS if needed
Metabolic (heel prick test)

Question 5

What conditions does the guthries heel prick test detect?

Answer 5

Thyroid disease
PKU
MCADD 
(CF)
(Maple syrup urine disease)
(Sickle cell disease)

Question 6

What substance are you looking for in the guthrie test which would signify CF?

Answer 6

Immunoreactive trypsinogen

Question 7

List what you are looking for in the examination of the newborns head?

Answer 7

Head circumference (Occipitofrontal)
Moulding
Overlapping sutures
Fontanelles
Cephalohaematoma
Caput succedaneum
Ventouse/forceps marks

Question 8

What do you need to look for in the examination of the eyes of the newborn baby?

Answer 8

Size
Red reflex
Conjunctival haemorrhage
Squints - frequent

Question 9

What could an absent red reflex in a newborn baby mean

Answer 9

Retinoblastoma

Cataracts

Question 10

What do you need to look for in the ears of a newborn baby?

Answer 10

Position
External auditory canal
Family history of hearing loss
Tags/pits

Question 11

What do you need to look for in the mouth of a newborn baby?

Answer 11

Shape
Philtrum
Tongue tie
Palate
Neonatal teeth
Ebsteins pearls
Sucking/rooting reflex

Question 12

What is tongue tie in the newborn?

Answer 12

The frenulum attaching the toungue to the floor of the mouth is very tight, causing difficulties feeding etc

Question 13

What are epsteins pearls? What should you do if you fins them on newborn examination?

Answer 13

whitish-yellow cysts that form on the gums and roof of the mouth in a newborn baby. No need for treatment they will usually clear in the first few weeks of life.

Question 14

What should you do if you see neonatal teeth during your neonatal examination?

Answer 14

they should be removed before the infant leaves hospital.

Question 15

What are you looking for in the examination of a newborns face?

Answer 15

Dysmorphism

Question 16

What are you looking for in the examination of a newborns chest?

Answer 16

Chest shape 
Nasal flaring
Grunting
Tachypnoea
In-drawing
Breath sounds

Question 17

What are you looking for in CVS examination of the newborn?

Answer 17

Colour
Saturation – SaO2
Pulses: femoral
Apex/thrills
Heart sounds

Question 18

What are you looking for in the abdominal examination of the newborn?

Answer 18

Moves with respiration
Distension
Bile stained vomiting
Passage of meconuim
Anus

Question 19

What are you looking for in the genitourinary system of a newborn in the examination?

Answer 19

Normal passage of urine
Normal genitalia
Undescended testes
Hypospadius

Question 20

What is hypospadius?

Answer 20

A condition in the male infant where the external urethral opening is in the wrong place.

Question 21

What are you looking for in the examination of the musculoskeletal system of the newborn?

Answer 21

Limbs and digits
Movement
Contractures
Spine
Sacral dimples
Hip examination
Ortolani/Barlow

Question 22

What are you looking for in the neurological system examination in the newborn?

Answer 22

Posture
Tone
Movement
Reflexes

Question 23

What is erythema toxicum?

Answer 23

A self limiting red papular rash sometimes seen in the neonatal period. It is self limiting and no treatment required

Question 24

What are milia in the newborn?

Answer 24

Tiny white bumps that appear across a baby’s nose, chin or cheeks. No treatment is needed as they usually disappear on their own in a few weeks or months

Question 25

What are you looking for in examination of the skin of the newborn?

Answer 25

Dryness/cracking
Milia
Birth marks
Erythema toxicum