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A Normal Newborn Behavior: A newborn is alert in quiet state. He has spontaneous movements, which is smooth flowing in quality and is not excessive, jerky or asymmetric. He seems to be attentive to the environment. Newborn Appearance: Parents often dream of their new born baby with various mixture of imaginations. .It may be surprising for many parents to see their newborn the first time - wet and red, with a long head, and screaming - nothing at all like they had imagined. Newborns have many variations in normal appearance - from color to the shape of the head. Some of these differences are just temporary, part of their physical adjustments a baby goes through. Others, such as birthmarks, may be permanent. Color Moldings Caput Cephal hematoma Anterior fontanel Vernix Lanugo Milia Stork bites Mongolian spots Erythema toxicum Acne neonatoru ( baby acne) Strawberry hemangioma Port wine stains Newborn breast swelling Swollen genitals/discharge Color: Depending on the baby's age, race or ethnic group, temperature, and whether or not the baby is crying, a baby's skin color can vary greatly. Skin color in babies often changes with both the environment and health. When a baby is first born, the skin is a dark red to purple color. As the baby begins to breathe air, the color changes to red.This redness normally begin to fade in the first day. A baby's hands and feet may stay bluish in color for several days. This is a normal response to a baby's immature blood circulation. Blue coloring of other parts of the body, however, is not normal. Molding: It is a temporary asymmetry of skull resulting from birth process(following passage through a tight birth canal).Molding results in long, narrow, cone-shaped head. Normal shape usually returns by the end of the first week. Caput This refers to swelling on top of the head or throughout the scalp due to fluid squeezed into the scalp during the birth process. Caput is present at birth and clears in a few days. Cephalhematoma This is a collection of blood on the outer surface of the skull. It is due to the rubbing of the infant's head against the mother's pelvic bones during the birth process. The lump is usually on one side of the head. It first appears on the second day of life and may grow larger for up to 5 days. It doesn't do away completely until the baby is 2 or 3 months of age. Anterior fontanel: The "soft spot" is found in the top front part of the head. It is diamond-shaped and covered by a thick fibrous layer. Touching this area is quite safe. The purpose of the soft spot is to allow rapid growth of the brain. It normally closes with bone when the baby is between 12 and 18 months of age. Vernix : This is a white, greasy, cheese-like substance that covers the skin of many babies at birth. It is formed by secretions from the baby's sebaceous (oil glands) glands. It protects the baby's skin in the amniotic fluid during pregnancy.Vernix may not be present in babies who are born post term (after 41 weeks of pregnancy). It does not need to be removed and usually absorbs into the skin. Lanugo hair: This is soft, downy hair on a baby's body, especially on the shoulders, back, forehead, and cheeks. It is more noticeable in premature babies, but is not usually seen in babies born very late in pregnancy. Milia: Milia are tiny, white, hard spots that look like pimples on a newborn's nose. They may also appear on the chin and forehead. Milia disappear by itself. When these occur in a baby's mouth and gums, they are called Epstein pearls. Stork bites or salmon patches: These are small pink or red patches often found on a baby's eyelids, between the eyes, upper lip, and back of the neck. The name comes from the marks on the back of the neck where, as the myth goes, a stork may have picked up the baby. They are caused by a concentration of immature blood vessels and may be the most visible when the baby is crying. Most of these fade and disappear completely, usually within first year of life. Mongolian spots: Mongolian spots are blue or purple-colored splotches on the baby's lower back and buttocks. Over 80 percent of African-American, Asian, and Indian babies have Mongolian spots, but they occur in dark-skinned babies of all races. The spots are caused by a concentration of pigmented cells. They usually disappear in the first four years of life. Erythema toxicum neonatorum: A normal newborn rash looks like small areas of redness with a center that looks like a small, raised yellowish-white spot.The rash is common on the chest and back, but may be found all over. About half of all babies develop this condition in the first few days of life. It is less common in premature babies. The cause is unknown but it is not dangerous. Erythema toxicum does not require any treatment and disappears by itself in a few days. Acne neonatorum (baby acne): About one-fifth of newborns develop pimples in the first month. These usually appear on the cheeks and forehead. It is thought that maternal hormones cause these, and they usually disappear within a few months. Do not try to break open or squeeze the pimples, as this can lead to infection. Strawberry hemangioma: This is a bright or dark red, raised or swollen, bumpy sharply demarcated lesion that looks like a strawberry. Hemangiomas are formed by a concentration of tiny, immature blood vessels. Most of these occur on the face.. They may not appear at birth, but often develop in the first two months. Spontaneous regression usually occurs (70% disappear by 7 years of age). Port wine stain (nevus flammeus): A port wine stain is a flat, pink, red, or purple colored birthmark. These are caused by a concentration of dilated tiny blood vessels called capillaries. They usually occur on the head or neck. They may be small, or they may cover large areas of the body. Port wine stains do not change color (does not blanch on pressure) when gently pressed and do not disappear over time. They may become darker and may bleed when the child is older or as an adult. Port wine stains on the face may be associated with more serious problems. Newborn breast swelling: Newborn breast is usually 1 cm in diameter in term (37 completed weeks) male and female .Breast is said to be enlarged when diameter is >3-4 cm .It occurs in newborn boys and girls around the third day of life due to the mother's hormones (estrogen) and goes away within a few days to weeks and this effect which lasts <1 week is of no clinical concern. In the first week, a milky substance, sometimes called "witch's milk," may leak from the nipples. Do not massage or squeeze the breasts or nipples, as this may cause an infection in the breast. Extra nipples (supernumerary) may occur as a normal variant. Swollen genitals/discharge: A newborn's genitals may appear different depending on the gestational age (the number of weeks of pregnancy). Premature baby girls may have a very prominent clitoris and inner labia (labia minora). A baby born closer to full-term has larger outer labia. Girls may have a small amount of whitish discharge or blood-tinged mucus from the vagina in the first few weeks. This is a normal occurrence related to the mother's hormones (estrogen withdrawal). Premature boys may have a smooth, flat scrotum with undescended testicles. Boys born later in pregnancy have ridges in the scrotum with descended testicles. |
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