development - apgar scale + infant reflexes

apgar scale

test given right after birth at 1 minutes and 5 minutes to assess the newborn’s physical condition

What areas does the scale look at? (5)

1. Heart rate

2. Respiratory effort

3. Muscle tone

4. Color (loss of blueness) 

5. Reflex irritability

Infant reflexes

inherited, automatic, coordinated movement patterns that help a baby survive

List all infant reflexes (8)

1. Moro

2. Rooting

3. Sucking

4. Grasping

5. Swimming

6. Diving

7. Smiling

8. Babinski

Moro

Startle reflex

• EX: If you startle an infant it will flail its arms and legs and then curl up in an attempt to “grab onto something” (in an attempt to protect itself)

Rooting

Wherever you touch, they’ll orient to the direction of the touch (to help find food)

• EX: you touch a baby’s cheek, the baby will turn towards the direction of the cheek that they touch 

Sucking

Anything you put into a baby’s mouth, they will suck on

• Enables them to get milk from the bottle

Grasping

Whatever the baby grabs on, they will keep holding on until they are forced to let go

• Automatically grasps onto things at around 3-4 months, the reflex will become voluntary

Swimming

• can doggy paddle for a little bit 

• Able to hold their breath if dropped in water 

Diving

Reflex that diverts any swallowed water to the baby’s stomach so that the baby doesn’t drown

Smiling

• Smiling = attention

• Smiling = manipulation (in order to get the parent to want to take care of them)

Babinski

If you rub the bottom of a baby’s foot, he will spread his toes outward

• You want to make sure that the baby has it and that it disappears 

  • Why? Indicative of a neurological motor problem if you don't have this reflex