Glucose, Calcium, and Magnesium
The newborn emerges from a uterine environment in which glucose, calcium, and magnesium have been continuously provided and fetal plasma levels are closely regulated, in part by maternal metabolic homeostasis…
Care of the Parents
A renewed interest in the first minutes, hours, and days of life has been stimulated by several provocative behavioral and physiologic observations in both mother and infant. These assessments and…
Size and Physical Examination of the Newborn Infant
There are tiny, puny infants with great vitality. Their movements are untiring and their crying lusty, for their organs are quite capable of performing their allotted functions. These infants will…
Antenatal and Intrapartum Care of the High-Risk Infant
Identification of the Pregnancy at Risk The goal of prenatal care is to ensure optimal outcomes for both baby and mother. Prenatal care involves a series of assessments over time…
Nursing Practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
The planning and delivery of nursing care to critically ill neonates is a complex process that necessitates thorough, ongoing evaluation to determine effectiveness of both nursing and medical therapies. This…
Recognition, Stabilization, and Transport of the High-Risk Newborn
At delivery, the newborn infant makes a complicated transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life. Although most newborns adapt without difficulty, the first few hours of life can be a precarious…
Resuscitation at Birth
The transition from fetal to neonatal life is a dramatic and complex process involving extensive physiologic changes that are most obvious at the time of birth. Individuals who care for…
Vesicles, Pustules, Bullae, Erosions, and Ulcerations
Introduction Vesiculopustular and bullous disorders are common in the neonatal period and the first years of life. Accurate and prompt diagnosis is essential because some conditions that present with blisters…
Hair Disorders
Introduction This chapter covers neonatal hair patterns, genetic hair shaft abnormalities, and the conditions in which hypo- or hypertrichosis are present in the neonatal period. There are many syndromes in…
Selected Hereditary Diseases
Approach to the child with a genetic skin condition To effectively care for an affected newborn and provide information for anxious parents, an organized diagnostic approach is essential. The physical…
