Maharashtra Board Class 11 Child Development Chapter 5 Neonatal Development Birth to 15 days PDF Download

Neonatal Development (Birth To 15 Days)

What are the things that you note when newborn babies are brought home?

Here is a hint for you:

A. Appearance

B. Bathing

C. Clothing

The human body goes through amazing changes during gestation which is the time spent in the mother's uterus. It starts out as a tiny, microscopic group of cells that grow and form all the organs and tissues found in a newborn baby. These changes don't stop at birth! Birth is just an interruption in the process of development which starts at conception. The fetus gets separated from the internal uterine environment of the mother to the external world environment. This period after birth, marked with crucial adjustments is called the Neonatal period. The neonatal period extends from birth through the first fifteen days of life. During this time, the newborn undergoes physiological changes as it adapts to the new environment.

The first two weeks of neonatal period is the time of transition from the uterus where foetus is supported entirely by the mother to an independent existence.

Definition

The period from the birth to the time when the newborn makes a stable adjustment to his new environment is generally referred to as the neonatal period and the baby is known as a neonate.

Facts About Newborn Babies

A newborn baby has no kneecaps at birth!

A newborn baby cries without tears as the tear ducts and glands only produce enough liquid to lubricate and protect their eyes.

Newborn babies have more bones than adults. They have 270-300 bones at birth.

Newborn babies can hear as well as you do.

The voice and smell of the mother, is recognized by the baby from birth.

Teacher's Note

When a new baby comes home, look at the baby carefully. Notice the skin, head size, and how small the baby looks. This is very normal for all newborns in India.

Exam Trick

Remember: Neonatal = first 15 days after birth. Just like a new phone needs time to start, a baby needs time to adjust to the outside world.

Points to Remember

Neonatal period is from birth to 15 days of life.

During this time, the baby makes important changes to live outside the mother's body.

The baby is called a neonate during this period.

Newborns have special features like soft bones and wrinkled skin.

The baby recognizes the mother's voice and smell from birth.

Physical Appearance Of Neonate

The skin of the neonate is wrinkled, thin, soft and sensitive with a pinkish cast. During the first few days neonates have prenatal hair which has not yet fallen off and hence they look very hairy. New babies are covered with a protective layer of vernix caseosa, an oily substance that protects them against infection. This dries off within the first few days after birth.

The muscles of the neonate are soft, small and uncontrolled. At the time of birth the muscles of the neck and legs are less developed than the muscles of the hand and arms. The bones are soft and flexible due to the high percentage of cartilage present in them. The flesh is also elastic.

Neonates have a large head with a receding chin. At birth, many regions of the newborn's skull have not yet been transformed to bone, leaving "soft spots" known as fontanelles. These bones will fuse together in a natural process and form the skull. During labour and birth skull of the foetus changes shape to fit through the birth canal, sometimes causing a misshapen or elongated head which will usually return to normal on its own within a few days or weeks. The eyes of newborns are of an indefinite colour which gradually changes to a permanent colour. The eyes of a neonate are large in proportion to the rest of the face and the nose is flat and small. The teeth and jaw are undeveloped.

Can you tell?

What is vernix caseosa?

What do you mean by soft spots?

Teacher's Note

When you see a newborn baby, notice the large head and soft spots on top of the head called fontanelles. These soft spots are normal and help the baby pass through the birth canal safely.

Exam Trick

Remember: Vernix caseosa = oily protective coating. Think of it like oil on a pan that protects the pan from rust. It protects the baby's skin from infection.

Points to Remember

The baby's skin is wrinkled, thin, soft and pinkish in color.

Babies have soft, flexible bones because they contain cartilage.

Fontanelles are soft spots on the baby's head that allow the skull to be flexible.

The baby's head is large compared to the rest of the body.

Vernix caseosa is an oily layer that protects the baby's skin.

Body Proportion Of A Neonate

All Neonates are different in size and weight. At first glance all babies seem to look alike but there are significant differences among them. Head of the neonate covers 1/4th proportion of the total body length. The head circumference of the neonate is almost equal to that of his/her chest. The shoulders are narrow whereas the abdomen is large and bulging. As compared to the head, arms and legs of a newborn are small. The average height of an Indian neonate is 45cms to 50cms and weight is 2700gms to 3250gms. In the first few days neonates lose almost 10 percent of their body weight due to loss of fluid and adjustments to the surroundings.

Activity:

Observe and discuss the body proportion of a newborn in your family, one known to you in your surrounding.

Teacher's Note

Compare a newborn baby's body with older children. You will see that the baby's head is very large compared to the arms and legs. This is normal for all newborns.

Exam Trick

Remember: A neonate's head = 1/4 of body length. So if the baby is 40 cm long, the head is about 10 cm. This helps you remember the body proportions quickly.

Points to Remember

The baby's head covers 1/4 of the total body length.

Average height of an Indian newborn is 45-50 cm.

Average weight of an Indian newborn is 2700-3250 gms.

Babies lose about 10 percent of body weight in the first few days after birth.

The baby's shoulders are narrow and abdomen is large and bulging.

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