Question
My sister’s baby was just born in the hospital, and the doctor said they need to do a comprehensive physical examination to understand the baby’s condition better. My family and I are very curious. I want to ask what does a newborn physical examination include?
Answer
The newborn physical examination primarily covers the following aspects: (1) the baby’s autonomous breathing conditions and precautions; (2) the baby’s initial breathing status and frequency; (3) the baby’s normal heart rate range; (4) the baby’s nerve reflex condition. After birth, the baby should cry for several seconds before starting to breathe with the lungs. For the first 15 days, the baby’s breathing rate is about 40-50 times per minute; the baby’s normal heart rate range is 120-140 times per minute; and it also requires checking the baby’s nerve reflexes.