Podcast
Questions and Answers
What condition refers to the presence of one or both testicles not being present in a male newborn?
What condition refers to the presence of one or both testicles not being present in a male newborn?
What is pseudomenstruation in female newborns characterized by?
What is pseudomenstruation in female newborns characterized by?
Which of the following is NOT a condition related to male genitalia?
Which of the following is NOT a condition related to male genitalia?
What does hypospadias in males refer to?
What does hypospadias in males refer to?
Signup and view all the answers
In a newborn examination, what should be inspected to rule out spinal bifida occulta?
In a newborn examination, what should be inspected to rule out spinal bifida occulta?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the normal respiratory rate for a newborn?
What is the normal respiratory rate for a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
Which method is NOT effective for conserving heat in newborns?
Which method is NOT effective for conserving heat in newborns?
Signup and view all the answers
What physiological response helps newborns to increase their metabolic rate in cold conditions?
What physiological response helps newborns to increase their metabolic rate in cold conditions?
Signup and view all the answers
How is the heart rate typically assessed in newborns?
How is the heart rate typically assessed in newborns?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a characteristic of respiratory patterns in newborns?
What is a characteristic of respiratory patterns in newborns?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following factors contributes to a newborn's difficulty in conserving heat?
Which of the following factors contributes to a newborn's difficulty in conserving heat?
Signup and view all the answers
What range of heart rates can be observed during sleep in a newborn?
What range of heart rates can be observed during sleep in a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the presence of transient murmurs in a newborn indicate?
What does the presence of transient murmurs in a newborn indicate?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to the arms and legs when a newborn's head turns?
What happens to the arms and legs when a newborn's head turns?
Signup and view all the answers
At what age does the Moro or Startle Reflex typically fade?
At what age does the Moro or Startle Reflex typically fade?
Signup and view all the answers
What response is observed when the sole of a newborn's foot is stroked?
What response is observed when the sole of a newborn's foot is stroked?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the Magnet Reflex test indicate about a newborn?
What does the Magnet Reflex test indicate about a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
What response does a newborn exhibit during the Crossed Extension Reflex?
What response does a newborn exhibit during the Crossed Extension Reflex?
Signup and view all the answers
In what position are newborns likely to show the Landau Reflex?
In what position are newborns likely to show the Landau Reflex?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the first visual response a newborn typically shows at birth?
What is the first visual response a newborn typically shows at birth?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to the sensory skills of a newborn within the first few months of life?
What happens to the sensory skills of a newborn within the first few months of life?
Signup and view all the answers
What is indicated by wide separation of suture lines in a newborn?
What is indicated by wide separation of suture lines in a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to the overriding of the sagittal suture after birth?
What happens to the overriding of the sagittal suture after birth?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following describes caput succedaneum?
Which of the following describes caput succedaneum?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a key characteristic of cephalhematoma?
What is a key characteristic of cephalhematoma?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the typical appearance of the head due to extreme molding in a primiparous woman?
What is the typical appearance of the head due to extreme molding in a primiparous woman?
Signup and view all the answers
What might indicate abnormal brain formation in a newborn?
What might indicate abnormal brain formation in a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
What is craniotabes?
What is craniotabes?
Signup and view all the answers
How quickly does caput succedaneum typically resolve?
How quickly does caput succedaneum typically resolve?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the presence of unusually short arms in a newborn potentially indicate?
What does the presence of unusually short arms in a newborn potentially indicate?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a notable feature of a newborn's fingernails?
What is a notable feature of a newborn's fingernails?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to an arm when tested for muscle tone and released if the tone is good?
What happens to an arm when tested for muscle tone and released if the tone is good?
Signup and view all the answers
What is a simian crease, and what condition is it commonly associated with?
What is a simian crease, and what condition is it commonly associated with?
Signup and view all the answers
When assessing for hip subluxation in a newborn, what sign indicates that the femur head strikes against a shallow acetabulum?
When assessing for hip subluxation in a newborn, what sign indicates that the femur head strikes against a shallow acetabulum?
Signup and view all the answers
Which condition is associated with unusual spacing of toes in a newborn?
Which condition is associated with unusual spacing of toes in a newborn?
Signup and view all the answers
What should a newborn's fingertips normally reach when the arms are held down by the sides?
What should a newborn's fingertips normally reach when the arms are held down by the sides?
Signup and view all the answers
What appearance do the legs of a newborn typically have?
What appearance do the legs of a newborn typically have?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Temperature
- Newborns have difficulty conserving heat due to little subcutaneous fat
- Brown fat is a tissue found in mature newborns, helping to conserve or produce heat by increasing metabolism
- Newborns can compensate for heat loss by constricting blood vessels and moving blood away from the skin, kicking and crying
- Measures to help conserve heat include drying and wrapping the newborn, placing them in warmed cribs, or under a radiant heat source
Pulse
- Heart rate is slightly irregular due to the immaturity of the cardiac regulatory center in the medulla
- Transient murmurs may result from the incomplete closure of fetal circulation shunts
- Heart rate can range from 90 to 110 bpm during sleep and increase up to 180 bpm during crying
- Palpable brachial and femoral pulses are present in newborns
- Apical heartbeat is assessed for a full minute in the 4th intercostal space (ICS), lateral to midclavicular line
Respirations
- Normal respiratory rate ranges from 30 to 60 breaths per minute
- Assess for signs of distress like nasal flaring, chest retractions, skin color changes, and rates exceeding 60 breaths per minute
- Infants are abdominal breathers and exhibit periodic breathing (breathing followed by pauses)
Reflexes
- Moro or Startle Reflex: Initiated by loud noise or jarring the bassinet; strong for the first 8 weeks of life and fades by the end of the fourth or fifth month
- Babinski Reflex: Toes fan out when the sole of the foot is stroked in an inverted "J" curve; positive until at least 3 months of age
- Magnet Reflex: Newborns push back against pressure applied to the soles of their feet
- Crossed Extension Reflex: One leg extends when the sole of the other foot is irritated
- Trunk Incurvation or Galant Reflex: Newborns flex their trunk towards a probing finger along the paravertebral area
- Landau Reflex: Newborns held in a prone position should demonstrate some muscle tone; babies may not be able to lift their head or arch their back, but neither should they sag into an inverted "U" position
Senses
- Vision: Newborns can see and possibly distinguish light and dark; demonstrate sight by blinking at a strong light or following a bright light/toy with their eyes
Cranial Bones
- Molding: The presenting part of the head molds during labor; head will restore to its normal shape within a few days after birth
- Caput Succedaneum: Edema of the scalp at the presenting part of the head; crosses suture lines, usually disappears within three days
- Cephalhematoma: A collection of blood between the periosteum of a skull bone and the bone; appears 24 hours after birth, well outlined, confined to one bone, and takes weeks to be absorbed
- Craniotabes: Localized softening of the cranial bones, probably caused by pressure in utero
Female Genitalia
- Vulva may be swollen due to maternal hormones
- Pseudomenstruation: Mucus vaginal secretion (sometimes blood-tinged), disappears as the infant clears maternal hormones
Male Genitalia
- Scrotum is edematous with rugae
- Cryptorchidism: One or both testicles are not present; caused by agenesis
- Ectopic testes: The testes cannot enter the scrotum
- Undescended testes: The vas deferens or artery is too short
- Epispadias: Urethral opening on the dorsal surface of the penis
- Hypospadias: Urethral opening on the ventral surface of the penis
Back
- Spine: Typically appears flat in the lumbar and sacral areas; curves appear after sitting and walking
- Inspect the base of the spine for pinpoint opening, dimpling, or sinus tract
Extremities
- Arms and legs appear short
- Hands are plump, clenched into fists, with long fingernails
- Test upper extremity muscle tone by unflexing the arms; arms should return to flexion immediately after being released
- Fingertips should reach the proximal thigh
- Unusual shortness in arms may suggest achondroplastic dwarfism
- Observe for curved little finger and simian crease (single palmar crease). Although these can be normal, they are associated with Down syndrome
- Assess for webbing (syndactyly), extra toes or fingers (polydactyly), or unusual spacing of toes
- Newborn legs are bowed and have a flat sole due to a fat pad in the arch
- The sole of a term newborn has crisscrossed lines covering approximately two-thirds of the foot, absence or less coverage may indicate immaturity
- Hips can be flexed and abducted to 180 degrees where the knees touch.
- Hip subluxation (a shallow and poorly formed acetabulum) may be present if the hips lock short of 180 degrees
- Ortolani's sign: A "clunk" is heard as the femoral head strikes the shallow acetabulum while abducting the hip
- Barlow's sign: The hip can be felt to slip in the socket
- Subluxated hip may be bilateral but is usually unilateral.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Related Documents
Description
This quiz focuses on the vital signs of newborns, specifically their temperature regulation, heart rate, and respiratory patterns. It covers how newborns compensate for heat loss, the nature of their pulse, and the assessment of their respiratory rate. Test your knowledge on this critical aspect of neonatal care.
