In the first days of the baby's life, several tests and a complete examination will be performed to determine his general health status. The first scan to the newborn It is performed between six or eight hours after delivery and before 24 hours have elapsed, followed by other examinations.
In this test, the presence of malformations is sought, the primary reflexes of the baby are checked, their adaptation is observed, and irregularities that have been observed in ultrasound prior to delivery are detected. Here are some physical tests performed on the newborn:
Skull and neck scan: special attention is paid to the fontanelles, the separations between the hollows of the baby's skull, joined by cartilaginous tissue. The bone structure of the baby's head is not sealed at the time of birth, which facilitates both the passage through the birth canal and the distention as the organs of the central nervous system grow. The neck examination ranges from possible malformations to problems of torticollis or possible fractures in the clavicles.
Hip scan: separation and approach maneuvers of the legs are performed. Although this test is recommended for all babies, there are some risk groups: female sex, family history or breech birth. The examination detects hip dysplasia (congenital dislocation, risk of future dislocations or joint alterations.
English exploration: It is performed by palpation in search of anomalies in the inguinal canal and also of the femoral pulses, which must be perceptible and symmetrical. Detects inguinal hernias or weakness of the femoral pulse.
Abdomen scan: a palpation of the abdomen is performed. Certain organs (except the liver, easily palpable) are only detected if there are abnormalities, such as the spleen when it is older than usual, the kidneys (only palpable the first two days) or the bladder (except when it is full).
Auscultation: Lungs and heart are auscultated to control the respiratory and cardiac rhythm. The test detects respiratory abnormalities (unusual breathing frequencies, outside 30-60 breaths per minute) and cardiac (breaths ...).
These are the first explorations to the newborn, to check your good health and detect possible problems as soon as possible. In a next topic we stop at another type of exploration that is performed on the baby who has just arrived in the world, those of the primary reflexes.
