| Examining your premature baby | 1820.00000000000 | Examining your premature baby | Examining your premature baby | E | English | Neonatology | Premature;Newborn (0-28 days);Baby (1-12 months) | Body | NA | Tests | Prenatal
Adult (19+) | NA | | 2009-10-31T04:00:00Z | | Kim Dionne, RN, MN, NNP | | | | 10.4000000000000 | 52.6000000000000 | 743.000000000000 | | Flat Content | Health A-Z | <p>When any child is born, premature or not, they are immediately examined by those attending the birth. The first thing that parents often do is count the baby's fingers and toes, making sure that there are 10 of each.</p> | <p>Very often, a suspected diagnosis begins with an examination and is confirmed by other means. Additionally, a premature baby will be examined very carefully with an eye to identifying the known risks associated with prematurity. These assessments will begin at birth and will be repeated as needed over the first few days and weeks of a premature baby’s life.</p> | | <h2>Key points</h2>
<ul><li>Immediately following birth, all babies, both premature and full-term, are assessed using the Apgar scoring system.</li>
<li>The Apgar scoring system is comprised of five measures which determine a premature baby's ability to independently sustain themselves: heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes and skin colour.</li>
<li>Premature babies will also be categorized in terms of their weight and gestational age.</li></ul> | <p>When any child is born, premature or not, they are immediately examined by those attending the birth. The first thing that parents often do is count the baby’s fingers and toes, making sure that there are 10 of each. Medical staff will examine the premature baby in much more detail.</p><p>Your baby will be weighed within the first few minutes of birth. The scale will have a metal seat that cradles the baby while they are being weighed. A light disposable paper will be placed between the seat and the baby so they don't have to touch the cold metal surface directly. After weighing your baby, their length and head circumference will be measured. All of these measurements will be compared to a chart to make sure that everything is in proportion. </p><h2>Initial clinical assessment</h2><p>Immediately following birth, all babies, premature and full-term alike, are assessed using something called the Apgar scoring system. It is comprised of five measures which determine a premature baby’s ability to sustain themselves independently. The five signs that are measured are heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, reflexes and skin colour. Each of these signs is measured and assigned a number from zero, indicating no response, to two, indicating normal function. The number one is used for signs indicating poor functioning. In total, the highest possible score is 10, but it is very rare for a premature baby to receive a score of nine or 10. </p><p>Skin colour often gives an indication of how well oxygen is getting to the extremities of the body, regardless of how strongly the heart is pumping. At the same time, very few babies, premature or not, score two on the skin colour measurement. Most babies do not appear perfectly pink when born. Reflex measure can give an indication of the state of neurological activity. </p><h3>The Apgar scoring chart</h3><table class="akh-table"><thead><tr><th>Factor</th><th>Score 0</th><th>Score 1</th><th>Score 2</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Heart rate</td><td>No heart rate</td><td>Below 100 beats/min</td><td>Above 100 beats/min</td></tr><tr><td>Breathing</td><td>No breathing</td><td>Slow and irregular</td><td>Good</td></tr><tr><td>Muscle tone</td><td>Limp and loose</td><td>Some flexing of arms and legs</td><td>Actively moving</td></tr><tr><td>Reflexes</td><td>No reflex responses</td><td>Grimaces or frowns when reflexes are stimulated</td><td>Vigorously cries when reflexes are stimulated</td></tr><tr><td>Colour</td><td>Blue and pale</td><td>Body is pink but hands and feet are blue</td><td>Entire body is pink</td></tr></tbody></table><p>The lower the score, the more likely the premature baby will need some form of intervention. This may be apparent before the first Apgar assessment is taken. For example, if a premature baby is not breathing, artificial ventilation will begin immediately. The assessments will continue for several minutes and give a numerical value to how well the baby is doing and if the condition of the baby is improving or worsening. </p><p>However, initially low Apgar scores are not the whole story; at birth, many rapid changes are taking place which need only a few minutes or hours to resolve themselves. A premature baby who is having some trouble breathing in the first few minutes of life may only need time to clear their lungs of amniotic fluid and will be breathing normally once this natural process has occurred. </p><p>In addition to the Apgar assessment, premature babies will also be categorized in terms of their weight and gestational age. This will give the medical staff an indication of possible problems and conditions to look out for. The lower the birth weight and the more premature a baby is, the more likely there are to be problems both in the short- and long-term. </p> | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | https://assets.aboutkidshealth.ca/AKHAssets/examining_your_premature_baby.jpg | | | | | | | Examining your premature baby | | False | | | | | |
