Question

A baby is assessed at one minute after birth using the Apgar scale. Three of the five vital signs are good, but the baby is weak and inactive and does not grimace. The two vital signs the medical team is concerned about are:

Answer 1

Answer: The two vital signs the medical team is concerned about are:

1. MUSCLE TONE

2. REFLEX IRRITABILITY

Explanation:

What does APGAR stand for, and what does it measure?

When the scoring system was put into common use, medical professionals created an acronym using Apgar’s last name, so that each criterion included in the assessment would be easier to remember. The five criteria assessed in the Apgar score are:

A – Appearance (skin color)

This is an evaluation of the baby’s skin color. The medical team measures if the baby blue or pale all over, blue at the extremities, or pink all over.

P – Pulse (heart rate)

During this evaluation, the medical team measures if the baby’s heart rate is absent, slow (<100 beats per minute (bpm), or fast (>100 bpm).

G – Grimace (reflex irritability/response)

During this evaluation, the medical team asks if the baby lacks a response to stimulation, responds with a grimace, or responds by crying and pulling away.

A – Activity (muscle tone)

During this evaluation, the medical team asks if the baby is limp, if the baby has some flexion (joint movement), or if the baby shows active motion.

R – Respiration (breathing ability)

During this step, the medical team asks if the baby is failing to breathe, if the baby has a weak cry and slow breathing, or if the baby is breathing well and crying normally.