After birth, the midwife or neonatologist conducts the first examination of the child and determines his state on the Apgar scale, immediately after birth, and then in five minutes.

At the same time, the so-called "first toilet of a newborn". The newborn cleanses the respiratory tract, because during the delivery there could get mucus, cleanse the skin with which it is coated. Then it is washed, weighed, the weight and size of the head are measured, the eyes are washed, the girls are treated with the perineum. Then the child is put on a table to treat the skin with warmed-up warm oil, wipe all wrinkles. On the arm of the child wear a bracelet with your data, so as not to confuse it with other kids.

The doctor also pays attention to the color of the child's skin, the rhythm of the heartbeat, breathing, patency of the nose, esophagus, anus, general mobility.

In the following days, a more thorough and detailed examination is carried out, including a neurological examination of the unconditioned reflexes of the newborn: the reflex of automatic walking, grasping and sucking reflexes, which speak of the state of the nervous system of the newborn.

Scale Apgar-method, which allows you to assess the child's preparedness for independent living. The evaluation is based on five main signs of the viability of the infant: palpitation, respiration, skin color, muscle tone and reflex excitability.

The first sign is a heartbeat. If the heartbeat is less than 100 beats per minute - 1 point, if more than 100 beats - 2 points.

The second sign is breathing. If breathing is rare, intermittent - 1 point, if the baby breathes normally or immediately screams - 2 points.

The third sign is skin coloring. Pale skin with a blue tint - 0 баллов. If the body is pink, and the pens and legs are pale or bluish - 1 point, and if the baby is pink all - 2 points.

The fourth sign is muscle tone. In a normal newborn, the arms and legs are tense, tucked to the stomach, it is difficult to unbend them. This stress is called physiological hypertonia - 2 points. If the tone is lowered - 1 point. If there is no tonus - 0 points.

The fifth sign is reflex excitability.

If a grimace appears on the face of the newborn at birth - 1 point, if there are no emotions - 0 points, and if the child screamed, coughed or sneezed at suction of mucus from the mouth and nose - 2 points.

After the birth of the baby, doctors immediately evaluate his condition, awarding points for each feature, and then summarize these indicators. When this procedure is repeated, as a rule, the Apgar scores are already increasing - the child is gaining strength health. Sumy. Ua.