Neonate and paediatric physiology and resuscitation Flashcards
(142 cards)
What age range does paediatric medicine usually cover?
Birth to 14 years (sometimes 18 years)
What is the average weight of a neonate between birth and 1 month?
3.5kg
What is the normal HR range for a neonate between birth and 1 month old?
100 - 160bpm
What is the normal RR range for a neonate between birth and 1 month old?
25 - 50
A neonate’s head is __/__ the total length of its body
1/4
A neonate’s head is __/__ of its body weight
1/3
List some physiological features of a neonate (birth to 1 month)
- Large occiput
- Open fontanelles and unfused sutures
- Soft cranial bones
- Cartilaginous ribs
- Diaphragmatic breathers
- Nasal breathers
- Apnoea and bradycardia occurs under stress (including cold stress and physiological stress)
- Predisposed to hypothermia
What is the significance of the large occiput of a neonate?
Easily hyperextends or hyperflexes and can occlude the airway (sniffing position).
Hormonal changes which instigate onset of labour also commence…
Reabsorption of foetal lung fluid.
Crying of a just-birthed neonate is evidence of…
Significant inspiration and expiration on closed glottis (-ve pressure)
What instigates the closing of the ductus arteriosus and the foramen ovale (foetal valves) and allows pulmonary circulation after birth?
Pressure changes (reduced to pulmonary blood supply); inflates lungs and displaces fluid into lymphatics.
What is triggered by cord clamping/spontaneous umbilical vein constriction?
An increase in systematic blood pressure; the ductus venousus starts to close.
What are some keys to successful interaction when assessing a neonate?
- Likes to be held and kept warm
- Avoid loud noises, bright lights
- May be soothed if allowed to feed
- Warm your stethoscope and hands before touching infant
List the characteristics typical of a neonate during assessment.
- Normally alert, looking around
- Focuses well on the face of the person holding them
- Flexed extremities and responsive to stimulus
- Intact neurology demonstrated by reflexes (Moro, Rooting, Palmar Grasp)
What is the weight range of an infant between 1 and 12 months?
3.5 to 10kg
What is the normal HR range for an infant between 1 and 12 months?
90 to 150bpm
What is the normal RR range for an infant between 1 and 12 months old?
25 to 50
How long does it take for an infant’s birth weight to double?
6 months
How long does it take for an infant’s birth weight to triple?
1 year
List some physiological features of an infant (1 to 12 months old)
- Obligatory nose breathers
- Diaphragmatic breathers
- Cartilaginous vocal chords (easily damaged)
- Thin and pliable chest wall
- Underdeveloped cervical structures
The posterior fontanelle of an infant is closed by…
8 to 10 weeks
The anterior fontanelle of an infant is closed by…
10 to 14 months
When does an infant usually begin crawling?
5 to 12 months
When does an infant usually begin walking?
10 to 18 months








