The physical manifestations of “abnormalities” in newborns are as follows.
1. Swollen breasts
In the first week of life, swollen breasts are a common phenomenon for both male and female babies, usually accompanied by firm nipples.
Cause: Estrogen in the mother’s body, which enters the baby’s body through the placenta, stimulates breast enlargement.
Newborn overflow: Occasionally, in babies with swollen breasts, the nipples can also be seen accompanied by the secretion of white milk. This normal phenomenon lasts about a few weeks to a month.
Duration: swollen breasts in newborns last about 2 to 4 weeks. In breastfed babies, swollen breasts can last up to 6 months of age.
Note: Never squeeze or massage the breast and nipple, as this may cause a serious infection. If the swollen breast develops a red rash, pressure and streaks on the skin surface, seek medical attention.
2. Folded ears
Your newborn’s ears are usually soft and floppy. Sometimes, one ear may appear to be excessively folded. This is due to underdeveloped cartilage in newborns. In the next month, the normal shape of the ear will return to normal as the cartilage in the ear develops.
3. Flat nose
The newborn’s nose can be deformed by extrusion when passing through the maternal birth canal, which may cause the bridge of the nose to collapse, or slightly to the side. In the first week after birth, the nose will return to its normal shape
4.Conjunctival hemorrhage
In the “white” place, you can see the “flame” like streaks of bleeding, which is also due to the baby through the birth canal when the squeeze produced. In the 2-3 weeks after birth, these streaks of bleeding will also disappear.
5, eyelid swelling
The baby’s eyes, which look like swollen puffs, will also be red. This is also due on the one hand to squeezing through the birth canal, and on the other hand due to the use of silver nitrate eye drops at birth. The “puff” eye will disappear 3 days after birth.
6, nasolacrimal duct blockage
Teary-eyed baby, often suggest that the nasolacrimal duct blockage. The nasolacrimal duct is a tube that connects the eyes to the nose, assuming that the nasolacrimal duct is blocked, tears are not easy to drain into the nasal cavity in time, appearing teary-eyed.
7, hymen
Due to the estrogen in the body of pregnant women with the blood into the baby, about 10% of female babies hymen will protrude from the vulva, manifesting as small pink buds. 2 – 4 weeks after birth, as the baby’s body estrogen levels decline, the protruding hymen will subside.
8.Vaginal discharge
After birth, as the residual estrogen in the baby’s body subsides, the baby’s vagina will show white discharge similar to adult leukorrhea. Sometimes, this white discharge will be red or pink like menstruation, but the baby is not really menstruating, it is just a sign that the estrogen in the body is receding. These discharges should not last longer than 4 days.
9. Scrotal swelling (scrotal fluid)
The baby’s scrotum can become edematous, possibly due to syringomyelia. This is the time to take a small flashlight in hand and shine it on the scrotum, which can be as translucent as a balloon filled with water. The syringomyelia is likely to subside before the age of 1. If it does not subside after the age of 2, surgical treatment may be considered.
10.No testicles (cryptorchidism)
About 4% of full-term babies will have unilateral or bilateral scrotal hollow manifestations. In these babies, the testicles may slowly descend to the bottom of the scrotum during the first month of life. When only 1% of babies still have an empty scrotum by the time they are 1 year old, it is time to see a pediatric surgeon to consider testicular fixation.
11. Circumcision
More than 90% of newborns are circumcised if they are not circumcised. In the neonatal period, it is not necessary to forcibly turn up the foreskin for cleaning (gently turning up is possible).
12.Hair
Newborn baby’s hair is dark. In the first month of life, the hair will gradually fall off. Some babies shed quickly, some are slower. In the baby about 6 months, new hair will appear, and gradually replace the hair at birth, the color of these newborn hair with the previous often different.
13.Fetal hair
Fetal hair is soft, sparse, usually appear in the shoulders and back. In the baby born under the month is more likely to see the birth hair. 2 – 4 weeks after birth, due to friction, fetal hair will gradually fall off.
14, scalp edema and scalp hematoma
Due to the friction and compression of the birth canal, the baby’s scalp will appear edema, or subcutaneous hematoma. Scalp hematoma does not cross the midline and may appear on the second day after birth and reach its maximum state on the fifth day after birth, and if it keeps increasing without decreasing, it is necessary to seek medical attention. Most of the hematomas will disappear completely within 3 months.
15.Nut head
Due to the compression of the birth canal, the newborn’s head will become narrow and long, like a nut. With a nut-shaped head, it is possible that the fontanelle may not be felt temporarily. With development, the baby’s head will return to normal head shape.
16.Front fontanel
The fontanelle is a tender area that is close to a diamond shape. The area is soft and safe to touch with your hand. The presence of fontanelle facilitates the baby’s rapid passage through the maternal birth canal. Most babies close their fontanelle between the ages of 1 and 1.5 years, while the posterior fontanelle closes at about 3 months. Both the fontanelle and the posterior fontanelle can be felt pulsating with the baby’s heartbeat when touched. If the fontanelle is swollen, it is likely that there is an intracranial lesion, and prompt medical attention is needed; if the fontanelle is collapsed, most babies are dehydrated, and if it is accompanied by poor mental health, prompt medical attention is also needed.
17. Bowed legs
As the baby is still in the womb is to take the cross-legged position, so just born baby legs are slightly bent. Bent legs will gradually become straight before the baby starts to walk.
18, inversion, valgus foot
Due to the narrow cavity of the uterus, the newborn’s feet (feet) can face in any direction, as long as they can be easily corrected to the normal position, it is not abnormal. If parents feel very difficult when correcting the feet, resistance, we must be alert to “horseshoe feet”.
19.Tongue tethering
The lingual ligament is a short ligament that connects the tongue to the floor of the mouth. With the increase of tongue movement, the tongue ligament will gradually elongate. If the tongue ligament is too short, it may affect breastfeeding and can be seen by a pediatric dentist.
20.Horse teeth/slab teeth
In the newborn’s mouth, small white sac-like particles can be seen along the gums, because they grow on the gums and look like teeth, so they are called “horse teeth”. These white sac-like particles, which look like teeth, are actually cells shed by the baby’s oral mucosa during sucking, which block the mucosal glands. They will disappear within 2 months after birth.
21. Teeth
It is extremely rare for teeth to appear at birth. In these teething newborns, 10% are extra teeth without roots and 90% are teeth that emerge early. Both can be identified by x-ray. Abnormal teeth without roots must be extracted. In the case of loose teeth that have emerged early, they must also be extracted to prevent choking due to loss.