newborn baby Flashcards
(40 cards)
vernix
newborn baby is covered with a greasy whitish substance called vernix which protects skin from amniotic fluid while baby is in uterus
appears at about 20 weeks of pregnancy and helps with birth, acting as a lubricant
most babies are not bathed immediately to prevent infections
Lanugo
A fine layer of downy hair which helps to insulate and regulate body temperature
occurs on fetus while in womb, around 20th week but generally falls of at about the 38th week of pregnancy
if a baby arrives preterm, skin may be covered in lanugo
it will come off itself soon afterbirth
Milia
small, whitish yellow spots on the face, particularly around nose, known as milia or milk spots
Milia are blocked openings of oil glands in the skin, not harmful and usually disappear by the end of the first week
Jaundice
half of all newborn babies develop Jaundice on the second and third day after birth
skin and eyes become tinged with yellow and remain yellow for 3 to 4 days
usually harmless, and no treatment is necessary
0 Apgar scoring
Appearance- blue, pale
Pulse- Absent
Grimace- no response
activity- limp
respiration- absent
1 Apgar scorings
Appearance- Body pink, toes/hands blue
Pulse- slow under 100bpm
Grimace- facial movement
Activity- some movement
respiration- slow and irregular
2 Apgar scoring
Appearance- body fully pink
Pulse- over 100bpm
Grimace- pull away/ crying or cough
Activity- Active movement
Respiration- Good, crying
Newborn hearing test
identifies babies who may have permanent hearing loss so parents can get advice or support. test may take place in hospital. If not, ideally the test is done in first 4 to 5 weeks
test is called automated otoacoustic emission test, takes a few minutes, small soft tipped earpiece is placed in baby’s ear and gentle clicking sounds are played. It’s not always possible to get clear responses from the first test. This happens with lots of babies and does not mean a baby has permanent hearing loss but it could mean
. baby was unsettled when test was done
. there was background noise
baby has fluid or temporary blockage in their ear
baby will be offered a second test, may be same as first test, or another type called the automated auditory brainstem response. The AABR test involves placing 3 small sensors on a baby’s head and neck. Soft headphones are placed over baby’s ear and gentle clicking sounds are played, this test takes between 5 and 15 mins
Shortly after birth a baby;
is startled by a sudden loud noise such as a hand clapping or door slamming
Blinks, opens eyes widely, stops sucking or starts to cry to such sounds
Head and Neck
The fontanelle and skull bones checked- any marks from forceps delivery are noted
if born with a tooth, it is removed due to risk of falling out and swallowing
mouth is checked for abnormalities such as cleft palate
facial features and body proportions are checked
eye movement, ears and nose will be checked
head and neck are checked for cysts or swelling
Measurements
head circumference- average 35cm
Body length- average 50cm
weight- average 3.5kg
Baby’s temperature- average 37 degrees
Chest and heart
checked with a stethoscope
Newborns heart can make odd sounds because the workload of heart increases when controlling their circulation, those odd sounds disappear quicky
Hips, Legs and feet
Barlow’s Man oeuvre is used to check for dislocation of the hip joints( DDH). It highlights if the thigh bone is unstable or lying outside the hip joint
The test is carried out by laying the baby on its back with feet pointing towards the doctor. Each leg is checked for size and length
each hip is gently flexed and moved away from midline of body with backward pressure. If the hip is prone to dislocation a click can be felt. The problem will be corrected with a splint or manipulation
if baby’s ankles are turned in, can be corrected by manipulation or a cast
Arms and Hands
Each arm will be checked for a pulse and for strength and movement
the hands and palms will be checked- two major creases are normal. if only one is present the doctor will look for other abnormalities linked to down syndrome
numbers of fingers and toes are checked and potential webbing is checked for
PKU( Phenylketonuria)
rare disorder preventing baby from metabolising a chemical called phenylalanine which is present in most protein foods
Phenylalanine is needed for normal growth and development, if it is not metabolised it can build up in blood and brain leading to brain damage. If PKU is diagnosed, baby is put on a special diet consisting of a milk substitute.
at the weaning stage a low protein diet will be recommended, with this adaptation, the baby will be able to develop normally
Underactive thyroid
do not produce the hormone thyroxine which is needed for growth and development, this test is to check the thyroid gland is producing enough thyroxine. A lack of thyroxine will cause the child to be undersized and causes learning difficulties. The condition is easily remedied by giving child regular doses of thyroxine as early as possible
sickle cell disease
name for a group of inherited health conditions causing them to produce unusually shaped red blood cells, this can cause problems because they do not live as long as healthy red blood cells and can block blood vessels
personal child health record (PCHR)
book should be taken to all appointments for the baby. the book is used to keep a record of the baby’s weight, length, vaccinations and other info, the parents can also use the book to record information such as illnesses, accidents, medicines or developmental milestones the baby has
regular health and development reviews are offered for the baby until they are two years old
purpose to support parents and baby, making sure development is on track , reviews are done by a health visitor or a member of their team, carried out in the family’s home, at a GP surgery, baby clinic or children’s centre
health visitor will do a baby review with 10 to 14 days of birth
advice on
safe sleeping
Vaccinations
Feeding the baby
Adjusting to life as a new parent
The baby’s development
6 to 8 weeks
A GP or health visitor will discuss the baby’s vaccinations, these are offered at 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 16 weeks or 12 months old before child starts school, also will ask how mother is doing mentally and physically since birth
6 in 1 vaccine
protects against 6 serious illnesses, diphtheria, hepatitis B, Hib( Haemophilus influenzae type) polio, tetanus and whooping cough. Babies are given 3 doses of the 6 in one vaccine as part of the NHS vaccination schedule when they are 8,12 and 16 weeks old
Rotavirus vaccine
rotavirus a common cause of diarrhoea and vomiting, it is easily spread( highly contagious). Two doses of the rotavirus vaccine is given to babies when they are 8 and 12 weeks old
MenB vaccine
protect babies against infection by meningococcal group B bacteria. These bacteria are responsible for about 9 in every 10 meningococcal infections in young children, meningococcal infections can cause meningitis and sepsis, it is given to babies at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year
Pneumococcal vaccine
helps protect against serious illnesses like meningitis( an infection of the brain and spinal cord), sepsis and pneumonia. It can help protect against other illnesses like sinusitis and ear infections, given to babies 12 weeks and 1 year.
what is usually offered at the 6 weeks postnatal check
how they are feeling, mental health and wellbeing
if they have any vaginal discharge( lochia is the vaginal discharge or bleeding that occurs after labour) and if they had a period since birth
a urine sample will be taken to ensure kidneys are working properly and ensure there is no sign of infection
blood pressure will be checked if they had problems during pregnancy or immediately after birth to ensure there is no sign of hypertension
if they had an episiotomy or caesarean section , they are offered an examination to see if their stitches have healed
if mother is not immune to rubella and received first MMR vaccine before leaving the hospital, they will be offered your second one now, if they did not receive their first dose in hospital, they will need two doses as soon as possible
if due a cervical routine smear test while pregnant, this should be rescheduled for 12 weeks after birth
contraception will be discussed
may be given advice about use of vitamin D supplements if breastfeeding
if overweight with a body mass index of 30 or more, may be weighed and given weight loss advice and guidance on healthy eating
