Tests and Procedures

Each newborn baby is carefully checked at birth for signs of problems or complications.

A complete physical exam is an important part of newborn care. Each body system is carefully checked for signs of health and normal function.

It's not always easy to tell a newborn's age by their size. Premature babies are usually small, but full-term and past-term babies can be small, too. That's when healthcare providers will do a gestational assessment to determine if a newborn needs special treatment.

Your newborn will be weighed in the hospital and at all check-ups. In most cases, metric units are used to record babies' weight. This chart will help you convert the metric unit grams (g) to pounds (lb) and ounces (oz).

Newborn babies routinely receive eye medicine and a vitamin K injection soon after birth. Both prevent serious conditions.

Today nearly all newborns are screened for hearing loss. Here's a look at why, and the types of screening tests that are done.

Your little one will need several immunization shots to help protect them from several childhood diseases, some of which can be deadly. Read on for helpful advice on which shots they need and when--and what to do if they have a minor reaction.

A national program exists to screen all newborns for certain disorders in the first few days of life.

Circumcision is a surgery to remove the skin covering the end of the penis. This is called the foreskin. This surgery is most often done 1 or 2 days after a baby's birth. Read on to learn more about this procedure.

Because some potential problems aren't readily seen at birth, all newborns are tested for certain conditions, including metabolic disorders.

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare metabolic disorder. Children with PKU can't process an amino acid called phenylalanine. Phenylalanine is in many common foods.