Why should postnatal check-ups for newborns?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Cao Thi Thanh - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital. Dr. Thanh has worked for 25 years in the treatment of neonatal pediatric diseases.
Postnatal follow-up for newborns is an important and necessary step after the baby is born. This is an option that helps parents feel secure knowing that their children are developing in a healthy and comprehensive way. In addition, if congenital diseases are detected, doctors will promptly intervene so that the child has the opportunity to treat and ensure their health in the future.

1. Reasons for newborn re-examination

Right after the baby is born, the doctor will record some information about the baby, including breathing rate, posture, skin tone, reflexes, ... and then let the baby and mother have skin-to-skin contact. After about 1 hour, the doctor will weigh the baby, check the temperature, measure the head circumference,...
4 days after birth, the baby will be examined again. This helps to detect diseases such as neonatal jaundice so that appropriate interventions can be selected. In addition, the doctor will also perform a hearing test for the baby, detecting hearing loss. In addition, newborn screening tests to detect 3 diseases including congenital hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia and G6PD enzyme deficiency (earliest after 72 hours after birth, latest after 3 weeks of age). Thus, postnatal re-examination for the newborn will help the doctor assess the child's health status and recommend appropriate treatment interventions.
Normally, after 2 weeks of birth, parents should take their baby to a newborn screening to discuss with the doctor about the baby's problems in the first weeks of life. There are also medical facilities to schedule a follow-up visit 1 month after giving birth. After that, the child's follow-up schedule is the 2nd, 4th, and 6th months. From the 6th month, the baby will be examined once every 3 months. When the child is 2 years old, re-examination every year.
MORE: Benefits of newborn screening

2. What is included in the follow-up examination when the child is 1 month old?

During the baby's health checkup at the age of 1 month, the child will be examined:
Weight and measurements of the baby, to ensure that the child develops normally and is healthy; Check the baby's breathing, heart rate; Eye exam and hearing test for children; Measure baby's head size to monitor brain development; Check if the umbilical cord has atrophied, the umbilical cord has healed; Check the genitals for boys for narrow foreskin; Vaccination according to the correct age for children; Give breastfed babies vitamin D. SEE ALSO: Newborn screening heel blood test

3. What should parents prepare when re-examination for newborns?

Parents can prepare some questions about the child's health and habits when taking the baby for follow-up visits after birth. The doctor will give specific answers:
About the baby's sleep: Babies under 1 month old often have erratic sleep. Most children sleep at intervals of 2-3 hours a day, for a total of about 15 hours; About sleeping position: Should put the baby to sleep on his back; About eating: Most 1-month-old babies eat on demand (usually 2-3 hours/time); About digestion: Soft stools are best. Loose or lumpy stools can be a sign of dehydration or constipation; About waking time: There is no exact conclusion about how long a child is awake. Observation that the waking period is gradually longer indicates that the baby is developing normally; About the child's eyes: The doctor can check the structure of the eye as well as the ability to move the eyeball of the child's eye; About the habit of sleeping hard at the end of the day: 1-month-old babies often have a habit of being tired, irritable and having a hard time sleeping from 6pm to night; About head movements: Controlling head movements is one of the important developmental milestones of a 1-month-old baby. If the child is unable to hold the head upright for a short time, parents should consult a doctor. Postnatal follow-up for newborns is necessary for the doctor to accurately assess the baby's health situation and make the right choice of intervention. From there, ensure children develop healthy, comprehensive.

To ensure a healthy fetus throughout pregnancy and until birth, a full newborn screening test helps to assess the health of the baby and the parents feel secure during the care process. baby care. The maternity care package at Vinmec International General Hospital provides pregnant women with the process of examining and monitoring the health of both mother and fetus before - during - after birth, including full benefits of visiting examine and check the health of the mother during pregnancy and the baby immediately after birth will be injected with vitamin K, perform newborn screening tests, and assess the baby's health status. Along with that, 1 month after birth, mother and baby will be re-examined with a leading obstetrician and pediatrician.
In particular, before conducting newborn screening, the family will be consulted for understanding and consent to participate. If the newborn screening results are high-risk, the doctor will provide full instructions, meet face-to-face counseling, discuss interim measures while waiting for the results of the diagnosis. In some special cases, Vinmec will coordinate with a number of large centers in Vietnam to get the most accurate diagnosis results for children.
Some diseases detected after newborn screening will have to be monitored for a lifetime, Vinmec will be the place to support parents in monitoring their baby's every step in the development and maturation process. Therefore, parents can be completely assured when choosing Vinmec as a place to welcome and take care of their baby comprehensively.

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