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What is a Newborn baby health checklist?
The examination is usually conducted between the sixth and eighth week of the baby’s birth, so the parents should make an appointment with the doctor during this period.
Newborn Baby Health Checklist
Here are the most important examinations that the doctor conducts for the child during the postpartum examination:
The child's weight and height
At the beginning of the examination, the doctor will measure the child’s weight and height to ensure that he is growing normally. These checks can indicate a child’s nutritional deficiency in some cases.
If the doctor notices that the child is growing slowly, he may tell the mother the need to feed the child well and provide him with additional doses of breast milk. The doctor will also discuss how she can increase breast milk production if she suffers from weakness.
Preventive examination of the newborn
Since some diseases do not show symptoms in the newborn, a preventive examination is carried out to detect any health problems early within the Newborn baby health checklist, facilitating early treatment. This helps to avoid serious health problems in the future.
General examination
It is a clinical examination of all body systems from the head, neck, trunk, limbs, and genitals, and this examination is done within 72 hours from the time of the child’s birth. It is repeated during the sixth to eighth week because some pathological conditions can appear later.
Testicles exam
The testicles are examined to ensure they are in place and exclude an undescended testicle.
Heart examination
The doctor uses a stethoscope to ensure normal heart sounds and exclude congenital heart disease. If the doctor suspects other problems, he may order additional tests as ECHO.
Lung examination
It is an essential examination that the doctor conducts to ensure the health of the lungs and their proper functioning. The doctor assesses the respiratory rate, air entry, and breath sounds.
Spine examination
This examination helps to notice any health problem in the spine, one of the essential parts of the body.
Genital examination
It includes examining the penis and testicles in males and examining the vagina and the area around it.
Hearing test
Screening for hearing loss for newborns is done using two different tests; both tests are done rapidly over 5 to 10 minutes and are safe and comfortable for the newborn.
Acoustic emission test
- The Newborn baby health checklist also includes determining the response of certain ear parts to sounds, where a small headset and microphone are placed in the ear, and the sounds are played.
- If hearing is normal, an echo will be reflected in the ear canal, measured with a microphone.
- If there is hearing loss, no echo is detected.
Brainstem auditory response test
Slight headphones are placed in the ear and play sounds. Electrodes, similar to electrocardiograms, are placed along a baby’s head To discover the brain’s response to these sounds. And if the brain does not respond to these sounds constantly, there may be a hearing problem in the newborn,
Eye examination
The child cannot see things clearly at this stage, but the doctor can ensure the child’s concentration and ability to keep track of things with a few simple actions.
Baby skin check
Some babies suffer from skin problems during the first period after birth, so examining the baby’s skin is one of the most essential Newborn baby health checklists, which is typical in many cases. The examination helps discover any skin problem that needs treatment.
or example, a rash may appear that indicates the presence of milk allergy in a child, and then the doctor will help the mother overcome this problem.
After the examinations are completed, the doctor will write down any notes in the child’s guide to follow up on the stages of his development and any health problems he has faced since childhood.
The doctor may order some tests or x-rays according to his initial diagnosis for some cases if he notices any abnormal symptoms during the tests.
Blood sample test
Blood sample test When this occurs, it is recommended that another sample be taken from the newborn within no more than one to two weeks. Some countries may routinely perform both tests for all infants.
The importance of a blood sample test
A blood test for newborns can reveal many severe and rare diseases or health problems, including:
- Health problems related to hemoglobin are 11 proteins found in red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body, such as sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia.
- Metabolic disorders, a vital process in which food is converted into energy that the body can use to move, think, and grow and these disorders occur due to the absence or failure of enzymes that help in the metabolism process, including phenylketonuria, maple syrup urine disease, and diabetes mellitus.
- Health problems related to hormones occur when the glands do not secrete hormones at the average rate or above the standard rate. According to the Newborn baby health checklist, these problems include congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
- Other problems include cystic fibrosis, severe combined immunodeficiency, spinal muscular atrophy, glycogen storage disease, and biotinidase deficiency.
Physical examination
The physical examination of the newborn child is carried out carefully, including examining his eyes, heart, hips, and testicles in males. This examination is conducted within 72 hours of birth and then repeats at 6 to 8 weeks, as some cases can take some time to develop.
Although most children are born healthy, some children may suffer from serious medical conditions from birth, and their complications can be treated or reduced if detected early. And these diseases can occur in any family, even if they do not have a history of the disease.
Therefore, it is recommended that newborn examinations be conducted at the birth of any child, which includes several medical tests and analyses and are used to detect the presence of any health problem that may affect the expected growth of the child and his health condition in the long term or may affect his survival.
Early detection, diagnosis, and taking the necessary measures to solve the problem, which is still in its early stages, may reduce the incidence of death or disability in the child.
Newborn examinations are conducted within the first 1-2 days after birth, usually before leaving the hospital.
The cost of conducting newborn examinations may vary from country to country, and health insurance or other programs available in the country may cover the costs of this examination in whole or part.
- One of the greatest moments in life is the first time your newborn baby opens his eyes and makes eye contact with you.
- A newborn’s visual system takes some time to develop.
- In the first week of life, babies don’t see many details.
- Their first look at the world is blurred. They only see shades of gray.
- It takes several months for your baby’s eyesight to develop after birth fully.
- Knowing the critical milestones in infant vision development (and what you can do to help them) can ensure that your child usually sees and enjoys their world to the fullest.
- Your baby’s vision development begins before birth.
- The way you take care of your body during pregnancy is critical to developing your baby’s body and mind, including their eyes and the visual centers in their brain.
- Make sure you follow the instructions your doctor gives you regarding proper nutrition, including supplements and the appropriate amount of rest you need during pregnancy.
- Smoking is hazardous during pregnancy, as cigarette smoke contains an estimated 3,000 different chemicals that can harm humans, including carbon monoxide, a known fetotoxic poison.
- Even taking common medications such as aspirin can pose a risk to your baby during pregnancy, increasing the risk of low birth weight and problems during delivery.
- Always talk to your doctor before taking any medications during pregnancy, including over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, and other over-the-counter treatments.
In the end, many mothers are interested in knowing the Newborn baby’s health checklist and reading about it to follow up on their performance with their little one to check on him. It varies from state to state and can differ from state to state.
