Newborn Baby Assessment Checklist

The long wait is over and your baby is finally here. The morning sickness, cravings, indigestion and sleepless nights have paid off. The first thing you want to know is that your baby is healthy. Most people know about the Apgar score -- the first assessment of a baby's physical condition -- but there are other newborn assessments to determine metabolic, congenital and hereditary disorders.

Apgar

• The Apgar score is used to assess a newborn's condition immediately after birth and again after five minutes. Apgar is named for the anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar, who developed the test in 1952. It is also an acronym for the evaluation factors: Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance and Respiration. A total score of seven to ten is normal. A score of three or less means the baby needs immediate emergency care. Each factor is given a score of zero, one or two. Activity refers to the baby's movement and muscle tone. If the baby is limp the score would be zero and if she is actively moving she would receive a two. The baby's Pulse (heart rate) should be above 100 beats per minute for a score of two. Childbirth.org indicates that Grimace is a test of the baby's sense of smell or response to a slap on the foot. Ideally, the newborn will cough, sneeze or pull away. Appearance refers to the baby's color: If the baby is blue-gray or pale all over, the score will be zero. Respiration is an assessment of the newborn's breathing. He should be crying.

NBO

• The Newborn Behavioral Observations System (NBO) is a newborn assessment based on behavioral responses. Children's Hospital Boston says that the test was designed to determine what kind of nurturing and support is needed to assist the baby in her growth and development. For example, the infant is assessed on her response to external sound and light stimuli. Some babies can ignore these, while others are disturbed. The parents can make adjustments at home accordingly. Children's Hospital notes that the system is useful in building positive relationships between the baby and her parents as well as between the parents and the health care professional.

PKU

• Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder that can be determined by a simple blood test performed by pricking the baby's heel. Babies with the disorder lack an enzyme necessary for processing phenylalanine, an amino acid that is essential to normal growth, according to KidsHealth. If phenylalanine is not processed properly, it can damage the baby's brain tissue, resulting in mental retardation. Infants with PKU can be given low-phenylalanine formula to prevent this. A special diet may be necessary throughout life.

Other Tests

• Screening may be performed for other conditions such as congenital hypothyroidism, which can slow the child's growth and development, or galactosemia, the lack of an enzyme that converts galactose to glucose. Galactosemia can result in growth deficiency, severe retardation, damage to major organs, blindness and in some cases death. KidsHealth notes that Sickle Cell Disease can damage organs such as kidneys and lungs, and make children vulnerable to serious bacterial infections such as meningitis and pneumonia. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic condition, affecting the digestive system and lungs.