advanced search or find by letter:  A-F  G-L  M-R  S-Z My Child Has... Home Newborns: Physical Examination Newborns: Physical Examination Programs related to this topic Community Newborn Medicine   Children's Hospital Primary Care Center   A complete physical examination is an important part of newborn care. Each body system is carefully examined for signs of health and normal function. The physician also looks for any signs of illness or birth defects. Physical examination of a newborn often includes assessment of the following: vital signs: temperature - able to maintain stable body temperature 98.60 F (370 C) in normal room environment pulse - normally 120 to160 beats per minute breathing rate - normally 30 to 60 breaths per minute general appearance - physical activity, tone, posture, and level of consciousness skin - color, texture, nails, presence of rashes head and neck: appearance, shape, presence of moulding (shaping of the head from passage through the birth canal) fontanels (the open "soft spots" between the bones of the baby's skull) clavicles (bones across the upper chest) face - eyes, ears, nose, cheeks mouth - palate, tongue, throat lungs - breath sounds, breathing pattern heart sounds and femoral (in the groin) pulses abdomen - presence of masses or hernias genitals and anus - for open passage of urine and stool arms and legs - movement and development Children's Hospital Boston is the primary pediatric teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School Contact Us Site Map Privacy Accessibility Give Now Children's Hospital Boston300 Longwood AvenueBoston, MA 02115(617) 355-6000 © 2005-2006 All rights reserved