Newborns and Infants Study Guide

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary from the Newborns and Infants Study Guide, relating to newborn health assessment, development, and care.

Apgar Scale

A tool used to assess a newborn's health status, measuring 5 dimensions: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace response, Activity, and Respiration.

What are the 5 dimensions of the Apgar Scale?

Appearance, Pulse, Grimace response, Activity, and Respiration.

Pulse for newborns

The normal pulse for newborns is typically between 120 to 160 beats per minute and is higher compared to non-newborns.

Causes of trouble breathing in newborns

Causes can include congenital anomalies, respiratory infections, or fluid in the lungs.

Score of 0 on the Apgar Scale

A score of 0 on any dimension indicates severe distress and may require immediate medical attention.

NBAS

Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale, which assesses a newborn's behavioral responses, differing from the Apgar Scale which measures immediate physical health.

4 dimensions of the NBAS

Orientation, Motor, State, and Autonomic Systems.

Newborn states

The 4 states include alert activity, sleep, drowsiness, and crying.

Crying's impact on caregivers

Crying can trigger a stress response in caregivers, affecting their physiological state and emotional well-being.

Newborn sleep cycles

Newborns experience rapid cycling between active sleep and quiet sleep, with shorter sleep durations during the day.

Best state to test motor reflexes

The alert activity state is the best for testing motor reflexes as the newborn is more responsive.

Breast milk composition

Breast milk is composed of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and antibodies.

Colostrum

The first form of milk produced by the mammary glands, rich in nutrients and antibodies.

Fine motor skills

Skills involving small movements, such as grasping; gross motor skills involve larger movements, like crawling.

Which develops earlier: fine or gross motor skills?

Gross motor skills develop earlier due to larger muscle groups being engaged first.

EEG

Electroencephalogram, a technique used to measure electrical activity in the brain.

fMRI

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, used to measure brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow.

Experience-expectant brain growth

Brain development based on expected experiences, such as sensory input, necessary for normal development.

Experience-dependent brain growth

Brain development that occurs based on individual experiences and learning throughout life.

Myelin sheath

A fatty layer that insulates nerve fibers, increasing the speed of neural transmissions.

Brain maturity vs. plasticity

Maturity refers to the brain's structural development, while plasticity refers to its ability to change and adapt over time.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

A sudden and unexplained death of an infant, with risk factors including sleeping on stomach and exposure to smoke.

ABC's of SIDS prevention

Alone (sleeping alone), Back (sleeping on the back), Crib (sleeping in a safe crib).