The very first evaluation of the child receives at school and in the first minutes after birth. In order to assess the condition of the newborn, Apgar score is used. But do not think that a low Apgar score - a sentence, and "ten" ensures the baby good health. In fact, everything is more complicated.

Story

In 1952, at the Congress of Anesthesiologists American doctor Virginia Apgar first reported on the system developed by the assessment of the newborn. This system is simple. In order to assess the need for resuscitation is not required any special medical equipment or complex and lengthy analyzes. This evaluation system has been called by the name of its inventor.

Apgar score takes into account in the assessment of the newborn basic criteria by which a score from zero to two. The sum of these estimates is the Apgar score.

Apgar score allows physicians not only to determine whether there is a need for resuscitation, but also to assess how children need particularly careful and meticulous care. At least one Apgar score - an indication for resuscitation. Three points - a state considered critical. The child received five points, you need to focus on the part of doctors, and the newborn with an estimate of seven or more points is outside the risk groups.

Many mothers a bit confusing that the child put just two estimates, if the doctors assess the condition of the baby "by eye". But the two numbers indicate only that the assessment is carried out twice. First time - immediately after birth; the second time - in the fifth minute of life. Sometimes, if the figures are low, held the third assessment of the newborn in the tenth minute of life.

Often the baby, whose performance in the first minute of life were low, the second time showing much better results. This means that for his state of health can not worry. If the lowest score is retained - a good reason for a child to establish particularly close monitoring.

Criteria for evaluation

The assessment is based on five criteria:

• The color of the skin. On this parameter assessed the young representatives of the white race. Toddlers with a colored skin doctors look at the palms, soles of the feet, the color of the eyes and mucous membranes. If the baby's skin all pale or bluish, the score - zero points. If the body of a baby pink, but of course have a bluish color, the score - one point. Newborns with pink coloring of the whole body and limbs get two points;
• Heart rate. Normally, the heart beats often - up to one hundred and thirty - one hundred forty beats per minute. Lack of pulse - zero points. Pulse less than a hundred beats per minute - one point. The heart rate is more than a minute - two points;
• The reflex excitability. Normally, the most important function of all newborn reflexes: sucking, swallowing and even walking and crawling. But normally used for checking the reaction to the catheter in the spout. If the infant does not react to a catheter nose, it receives a score of zero. Weak reaction expressed grimaces - one point. Violent reaction, ie sneezing, coughing and movement - two points;
• Muscle tone. Normally, a newborn should be increased flexor muscle tone: pen clenched in fists and bent at the elbows, the legs bent at the knee and hip joints, the head pressed against his chest. If the muscles are relaxed and hanging limbs, the evaluation of this criterion will be zero points. If the tone is lowered, there is a bending of limbs, the newborn gets one point. Two points gets the baby producing active (though chaotic) motion;
• Breathing. The normal newborn may take up to forty-five breaths per minute. Not breathing - zero points. Irregular breathing, weak cry quiet, testifying hypoventilation - one point. A loud scream, normal breathing - two points.

Low (less than five points) assessment may be related to the physiological immaturity of the newborn, acute or chronic hypoxia. The most common cause - hypoxia caused by oxygen deficiency at birth (for example, in the case of cord entanglement) or during pregnancy (for example, a child of smoking mothers). Anoxaemia Fasting - this is natural   can lead to certain pathologies, such children must be observed in the children's neurologist.

The signs of physiological immaturity considered low muscle tone and lethargy. This kid is weakened, he sleeps a lot, poorly responsive to stimuli, passive, requires food less frequently than every three to four hours.

The rating is set, what's next?

Many parents are Apgar scores as peculiar to the forecast. If the evaluation of high - so the baby would be of high intelligence and develop faster than their peers, if the valuation is low - this child stars from the sky do not have to miss. But this interpretation has nothing to do with reality.

Apgar score only determines the condition of the newborn, but did not give a forecast on his life. Over the past half century there have been many studies that have shown that there is no relationship between Apgar score and the further development of the baby.

Appreciation does not mean that the child is healthy, it just means that at birth the baby's health condition was normal. Unfortunately, it does not give any guarantees for the future: to further the baby may show one or another pathology. So ignore the surveys of experts at an early age for the reason that the baby was praised at birth, in any case impossible.

Maria Bykov