New Born Check (Part 2)
Document the below in baby’s delivery notes.
Caput Succedaneum
Cephalhaematoma:
Eye Deformity-
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Cataracts
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Retinal Haemorrhages
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Red reflex – Present/ Absent
Ears Deformity:
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Shape/size
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Normal level or ‘low set’?
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Check patency
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Preauricular tags & sinuses
Nose deformity:
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Shape
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Patency
Mouth deformity:
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Palate
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Lips
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Tongue
Pre-auricular skin tag
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Inherited as a familial trait
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Refer to plastic surgeon
Preauricular sinuses
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May be unilateral or bilateral
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Ensure hearing check done
Subconjunctival Haemorrhage:
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Breakage of small vessels during the pressure of delivery
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Confined to sclera
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Does not affect vision & Resolves spontaneously
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Absent red eye reflex –Paediatric Ophthalmologist after registrar review
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URGENT – seen by an ophthalmologist by 2 weeks)
Tongue tie
Neck & Clavicle
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Excess skin at the base of the neck (Down syndrome)
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Masses/Swellings
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Fracture
Respiratory:
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Any distress?
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Any upper airways noises?
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Any abnormality of chest wall?
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Good Air entry bilaterally?
Cardiovascular:
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HR: 120-140
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Cardiac apex – correct side?
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Heart sounds
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Femoral pulses
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Cyanosis/duskiness
Abdomen:
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Inspection: Shape
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Palpation: Palpable liver or spleen
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Umbilical Cord area: Discharge, odour
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Advice on cord care
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Limbs
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Fingers/toes: Polydactyly, syndactyly
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Palmar creases
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Talipes – fixed or positional
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Hips
Fixed Talipes:
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Foot appears Plantarflexed and inverted
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Here the position of foot appears rigid
Treatment- Refer to Physiotherapy & Orthopaedic surgeon
Developmental Dysplasia Of Hips
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There is generally a positive family history
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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:
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Check Labia size
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Clitoris opening present?
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Occasionally Babies can be born with the following abnormality.
Hypospadias:
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Here, the urethral meatus opens anywhere along the urethral groove running from the tip along the ventral aspect to the perineum
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A hooded foreskin, which allows the glans to be readily visible, can be present.
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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:
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This is the ventral curvature of penis
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Here, the penis is incompletely separated from the perineum or is tethered
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Can occur with hypospadias
This is also a Contraindication to circumcision. Refer to Paediatric Surgeon to be seen soon.
Hydrocele
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This is due to the fluid surrounding the testicles. This cannot be reduced as the fluid is in an enclosed space
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Here, a spontaneous resolution is expected
Treatment – Always refer to a paediatric surgeon if it is not resolved by 1 year.
Inguinal hernia
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Look for fullness in the inguinal area.
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Typically you can’t get above the swelling
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This can be reduced with digital pressure
Treatment- Needs to be referred to Paediatric Surgeon soon.
Undescended Testes:
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In most cases, a spontaneous descent is expected.
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If unilateral– follow up at 6 months of age.
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If not descended by 1 year then refer to paediatric surgeon.
In Bilateral cases, consider ambiguous genitalia
Imperforate anus:
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It can be associated with many .anomalies
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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:
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Lasts from 2nd day of life to 2 weeks of age
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Seen in > 50% of newborns
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Looks like a halo of erythema with central whitish/yellowish papule
Treatment- It is benign and will disappear with no treatment
Milia:
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This is Keratin filled epithelial cysts
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Generally found on forehead, nose, upper lip, cheeks
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Seen in about 40% of newborn
Treatment- This is a benign, self-limited lesion and will resolve in 2 months.
Mongolian Birth Mark:
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These dark skin lesions are irregular in shape and are slate grey to blue-black in colour.
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These Present at birth or appear within few weeks
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Usually found over lumbosacral area and buttocks
Always document these in the baby’s documentation.