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Document the below in baby’s delivery notes.

 

Caput Succedaneum

 

Cephalhaematoma:

 

Eye Deformity-

  • Cataracts

  • Retinal Haemorrhages

  • Red reflex – Present/ Absent

 

Ears Deformity:

  • Shape/size

  • Normal level or ‘low set’?

  • Check patency

  • Preauricular tags & sinuses

 

Nose deformity:

  • Shape

  • Patency

 

Mouth deformity:

  • Palate

  • Lips

  • Tongue

 

Pre-auricular skin tag

  • Inherited as a familial trait

  • Refer to plastic surgeon

 

Preauricular sinuses

  • May be unilateral or bilateral

  • Ensure hearing check done

 

Subconjunctival Haemorrhage:

  • Breakage of small vessels during the pressure of delivery

  • Confined to sclera

  • Does not affect vision & Resolves spontaneously

  • Absent red eye reflexPaediatric Ophthalmologist after registrar review

  • URGENT – seen by an ophthalmologist by 2 weeks)

 

Tongue tie

 

Neck & Clavicle

  • Excess skin at the base of the neck (Down syndrome)

  • Masses/Swellings

  • Fracture

 

Respiratory:

  • Any distress?

  • Any upper airways noises?

  • Any abnormality of chest wall?

  • Good Air entry bilaterally?

 

Cardiovascular:

  • HR: 120-140

  • Cardiac apex – correct side?

  • Heart sounds

  • Femoral pulses

  • Cyanosis/duskiness

 

Abdomen:

  • Inspection: Shape

  • Palpation:  Palpable liver or spleen

  • Umbilical Cord area: Discharge, odour

  • Advice on cord care

  • Limbs

  • Fingers/toes: Polydactyly, syndactyly

  • Palmar creases

  • Talipes – fixed or positional

  • Hips

 

Fixed Talipes:

  • Foot appears Plantarflexed and inverted

  • Here the position of foot appears rigid

Treatment- Refer to Physiotherapy & Orthopaedic surgeon

 

Developmental Dysplasia Of Hips

  • There is generally a positive family history

  • More common in breech presentation.

Treatment- Get a hip ultrasound at 6 weeks and refer to orthopedicians. 

 

Genitalia deformities- 

In Males:

  • Testes- Is it Descended?
  • Penis -Urethral opening present?

Females:

  • Check Labia size

  • Clitoris opening present?

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Occasionally Babies can be born with the following abnormality.

 

Hypospadias:

  • Here, the urethral meatus opens anywhere along the urethral groove running from the tip along the ventral aspect to the perineum

  • A hooded foreskin, which allows the glans to be readily visible, can be present.

  • This is a contraindication to circumcision

In these cases, refer on to the Surgical team to be seen by 9-12 months of age.

 

Chordee:

  • This is the ventral curvature of penis

  • Here, the penis is incompletely separated from the perineum or is tethered

  • Can occur with hypospadias

This is also a Contraindication to circumcision. Refer to Paediatric Surgeon to be seen soon.

  

Hydrocele

  • This is due to the fluid surrounding the testicles. This cannot be reduced as the fluid is in an enclosed space

  • Here, a spontaneous resolution is expected

Treatment – Always refer to a paediatric surgeon if it is not resolved by 1 year. 

 

Inguinal hernia

  • Look for fullness in the inguinal area. 

  • Typically you can’t get above the swelling

  • This can be reduced with digital pressure

Treatment- Needs to be referred to Paediatric Surgeon soon.

 

Undescended Testes:

  • In most cases, a spontaneous descent is expected.

  • If unilateral– follow up at 6 months of age.

  • If not descended by 1 year then refer to paediatric surgeon.

In Bilateral cases, consider ambiguous genitalia

 

Imperforate anus:

  • It can be associated with many .anomalies

  • VACTERL (Vertebral, Anorectal, Cardiac, Tracheo-oesophageal, Renal, Limb abnormalities)

Admit urgently as baby will need to be kept Nil orally and needs urgent referral to Paediatric Surgeon

 

Erythema Toxicum Neonatorum:

  • Lasts from 2nd day of life  to  2 weeks of age

  • Seen in > 50% of newborns

  • Looks like a halo of erythema with central whitish/yellowish papule

Treatment- It is benign and will disappear with no treatment

 

Milia:

  • This is Keratin filled epithelial cysts

  • Generally found on forehead, nose, upper lip, cheeks

  • Seen in about 40% of newborn

Treatment- This is a benign, self-limited lesion and will resolve in 2 months.

 

Mongolian Birth Mark:

  • These dark skin lesions are irregular in shape and are slate grey to blue-black in colour.

  • These Present at birth or appear within few weeks

  • Usually found over lumbosacral area and buttocks

Always document these in the baby’s documentation.

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