A complete physical exam is an important part of newborn care. Each body system is carefully checked for signs of health and normal function. The doctor also looks for any signs of illness or birth defects. Physical exam of a newborn often includes assessment of the following:
- Vital signs:
- Temperature
- Heart rate
- Breathing rate
- Blood pressure
- Oxygen saturation
- General appearance. Physical activity, muscle tone, posture, and level of consciousness or whether or not an infant is awake and alert.
- Weight and length
- Skin. Color, texture, nails, presence of rashes
- Head and neck:
- Appearance, shape, and shaping of the head from passage through the birth canal (molding)
- Circumference (distance around) of the head
- The open soft spots between the bones of the baby's skull (fontanels)
- Bones across the upper chest (clavicles)
- Face. Eyes, ears, nose, cheeks. Presence of red reflex in the eyes.
- Mouth. Roof of the mouth (palate), tongue, and throat
- Lungs. Breath sounds, breathing pattern
- Heart sounds and femoral (in the groin) pulses
- Abdomen. Presence of masses or hernias
- Genitals and anus. Open passage for urine and stool and normally formed genitals
- Neurologic. Tone, neonatal reflexes are assessed.
Featured in
Related Articles
Gestational Age Assessment
It's not always easy to tell a newborn's age by their size. Premature babies are usually small, but full-term and past-term babies can be small, too. That's when doctors will do a gestational assessment to determine if a newborn needs special treatment.
Skin Color Changes in the Newborn
In newborns, skin color changes are often due to something happening inside the body. Some color changes are normal. Others are signs of problems. The changes described below can happen to any newborn. But skin color changes may be more obvious in babies born early, or prematurely, who have thinner skin than full-term babies.
Newborn Babies: Getting Ready at Home
Newborns need just some basic items at first. These include a warm and safe place to sleep, food, clothing, and diapers. Here's a helpful guide to the essentials.
Giving Your Baby a Bath
Here are images that show the steps for giving your baby a bath.
