There are two categories one focused on infant and the other focusing on mutual influences of infant and care giving context. The infant Assessment status is done through APGAR score and Gestational age.
APGAR score
Gestational age
It is an index of effects of obstetrical procedures like medicine, delivery effects etc
Score is used as a measure of infant’s immediate need for assistance with cardiopulmonary adaptation
Five areas of infant’s physiological stability – heart rate, respiratory effort, reflex irritability, muscle tone and colour are observed to obtain APGAR score.
Maximum score is 10
Done after 1 minute and 5 minutes of birth.
The goal is to provide a reliable method of determining gestational age in the new born infant.
The testing has two criteria – external criteria and neurological criteria
External criteria – it includes skin texture, skin colour, skin opacity, skin edema, body hair, ear form, ear firmness, genital appearance, breast size, nipple formation, plantar skin creases.
Neurological criteria: items related to neurological system development, reflexes, movement, muscle tone etc.
Gestational age assessment is important in interpreting other behavioural assessments as well as in anticipating medical needs.
Ultra sound, examinations of lens muscularity have been used to estimate gestational age.
Last modified: Wednesday, 9 November 2011, 6:21 AM
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