No matter how you choose to deliver your child, medical assessment starts almost immediately after the birth. The Apgar test is a simple observational exam taken within minutes of delivery to assure that the child needs no exceptional care, such as breathing assistance or other lifesaving treatment.
This follows with vital signs and measurements as the staff cleans and warms the baby. Typically, hospital staff reviews the basics of caring for your child with you before discharge. Settling in at home is your next priority, of course, but at some point during the first two to five days, you’ll need to make time for a visit to the pediatrician for newborn care.
Katy Pediatric Associates is your choice in the Katy, Texas area when you need a well-child exam for your newborn. Start their medical care off right with the compassionate professionals who specialize in newborn care.
When you’re healthy and feeling good, you may not consider visiting your doctor. Many people consider health care only in times of sickness. However, there are two reasons why you’ll have plenty of visits to the pediatrician with your newborn.
First, they can’t yet express what may be bothering them, apart from fussiness and crying. Secondly, a pediatrician starts a medical history that compares your child’s growth and development with common signposts along the way to assure there’s no cause for concern about their health. A newborn care well-child visit is simply the first of these. In most cases, the exam simply confirms your baby’s health.
It’s also a terrific time as a parent to ask questions and learn more about your child, their needs, and how to provide the best parental care for them. Your relationship with your Katy Pediatric doctor is potentially 18 years long.
The first newborn care exam builds upon the medical observations made at the time of delivery. The doctor measures their weight, length, and head circumference, and compares the figures with the same statistics after delivery, plotting them on a growth chart. While there is no “right” size for a baby, children tend to grow within certain statistical patterns. These measurements assure your child is within these growth curve patterns.
A physical exam from head to toe follows, looking for normal development and any sign of birth anomalies. The pediatrician checks the function of systems like eyes and ears, and is on the lookout for common newborn conditions, such as oral thrush or minor skin problems. Heartbeat, internal organs, and flexibility round out the physical portion of the exam.
All through the exam, your pediatrician watches for signs of normal development in the way your child reacts to sights, sounds, and touching. These signposts change with each well visit as your baby gets older.
During the visits, the doctor will ask about your baby’s habits, how they sleep, feed, and how their waste functions progress. They’ll ask for your impressions of the baby’s mood and activities. Vaccinations are another crucial component of well visits, and they’re one of the key ways to minimize future sick visits. The appointment typically ends with any questions you may have for the doctor.
Newborn care visits are usually routine, reassuring, and a sign that you have help with the responsibility of caring for your child. Grow the partnership by contacting Katy Pediatric Associates by phone at 281-492-7676 or online to book your child’s next visit today.
