The Normal Newborn Exam, or Is It?

Despite the broad technologic advancements of medicine, screening for illness in infants is highly reliant on a complete physical exam. For this reason it is critical that the examining physician not only have a thorough understanding of abnormal findings but also the normal findings and their variants. The vast majority of infants are healthy and findings predictive of future health problems are subtle and infrequent. Yet, outcomes can be devastating. Therefore it is critical the physician remain diligent when screening for these. It is our hope that this article will assist you in this task and allow for more accurate and timely diagnosis that prevents or minimizes long-term health problems in children.