Infants are at a higher risk for asphyxia meconium

infants are at a higher risk for:
● Asphyxia
● Meconium aspiration syndrome
● Congenital anomalies
■ Term infants:
● Are typically your healthiest NBs’
● Physical Components: ( bottom of Ballard form)
○ Skin
○ Lanugo
○ Plantar Surfaces

○ Breast Tissue
○ Eyes/Ears
○ Genitalia
● Term baby:
○ Skin:
■ Soft, silky, supple skin
■ Good amount of adipose/fat tissue
■ Not as many visible veins
○ Lanugo:
■ Balding areas on
● cheek, ear, & forearm
○ Plantar surfaces/Creasing:
■ Creasing down entire foot
○ Breast Bud/Tissue:
■ Palpable thick bud
○ Ears/Eyes:
■ Look at ears only (ear recoil)
○ Genitalia: Use gender specific line
■ Male genitalia:
● Scrotum will be pendulous
● Testes should be descended
● Scrotal sac seems heavier
● darker pigmentation & deep Rugae
■ Female genitalia :
● Labia majora covers labia minora
● Hymenal tag may be present
● 18 mos to 2 years hymnal tag retracts>>vaginal orifice
● Preterm baby:
○ Skin:
■ Thin, Shiny, fragile, gelatinous depending how preterm
■ Not much adipose/fat tissue
■ Many blood vessels visible/ closer to skin
○ Lanugo:
■ Lanugo everywhere
■ No balding
○ Plantar surfaces/Creasing:
■ Some creasing if late preterm (top half of foot)
■ If early preterm no creasing at all
○ Breast Bud/Tissue:
■ May not be as full
■ If early preterm Barely perceptible
○ Ears/Eyes:
■ If early preterm only assess eyelids only
● eyes fused closed

■ Preterm look at both eye & ears
● eyes open ears soft
● No ear recoil
■ If late preterm /close to term 34/35 weeks
● look at ears only (ear recoil)
○ Genitalia:
■ Use gender specific line
● Post date baby:
○ Skin:
■ No blood vessels
■ Lots of adipose/fat tissue
■ Dry skin/peeling/cracked
○ Lanugo:
■ May have some not a ton though
○ Plantar Surfaces/Creasing:
■ All down foot/over foot
○ Breast Bud/Tissue:
■ Palpable
○ Ears/Eyes:
■ Look at ears only (ear recoil)
○ Genitalia:
■ Use gender specific line
● Neuromuscular Components: (top of Ballard form)

○ Posture
○ Square Window
○ Popliteal Angle
○ Scarf Sign
○ Heel to toe
● Term baby:
○ Posture:
■ More neuromuscular strength
■ Hold close to body
■ Strong
○ Square Window:
■ More flexibility
■ Lay hand down to wrist
■ Bend to almost flat
■ 38-40 weeks gestation
○ POPLITEAL ANGLE:
■ Immediate resistance given back
■ Very strong at term
■ Where do you feel it/ at what point
○ Scarf Sign:
■ Baby on its back
■ Pull arm across to the other side
■ They resist you
○ Heel to Ear:
■ Baby flat on back
■ Draw baby’s heel to ear
■ See where you feel them resist
■ Almost instantaneous resistance in term baby
● Preterm baby:
○ Posture:
■ No NM strength
■ Open posture
○ Square Window:
■ Lean hand will see square window
■ 90 degree angle etc.