The prerogative of modern medicine is early diagnosis. That is why there are planned examinations. These include a comprehensive ultrasound of the newborn at 1 month. But why so early? This question can be asked by many young parents. This article will help you get the answer to this question.
Survey
When your baby turns 1 month old, it's time for you to check your baby’s health. The initial and main study is the diagnosis of the hip joint to detect dysplasia or congenital dislocation. Neurosonography (ultrasound of the brain) and ultrasound of the heart and internal organs (usually these are abdominal organs) are also performed. The directions for these procedures will be given to you by the pediatrician in the children's clinic.
Recently, for reinsurance, many doctors send babies to an ECG (a study of heart biopatents).
In addition to an ultrasound examination, the baby must also be shown to a neurologist, pediatric surgeon and orthopedic trauma surgeon. The remaining doctors are passed only as needed, which is considered in each case. But most often, the ophthalmologist, otolaryngologist and cardiologist also examine the child per month.
During the examination, it is advisable to approach narrow specialists with the results so that each of them acquaints you with the norms of ultrasound of the newborn at 1 month.
The importance of the procedure
The first year of a child’s life is the most responsible in all development. It was at this time that all the organs and systems of the baby developed and improved. And if this development does not go right from the very beginning, then it will be much more difficult to fix it, and in some cases even impossible. The sooner a violation is detected and correction is started, the more chances there are of a quick disposal of the defect or disease without unpleasant consequences.
Therefore, it is in the first year of life that the crumbs need to examine all vital organs and exclude unpleasant diagnoses. For this, an ultrasound examination (ultrasound) is performed. Usually it is carried out in conjunction with other analyzes.
Ultrasound of a newborn in 1 month allows you to show how the child adapted to external conditions of existence and to reveal hidden diseases. After all, some anomalies can occur even before the birth of the baby, and some in the process of labor.
The prevalence of ultrasound of a child aged 1 month is explained by the fact that this procedure is the safest for such a small person.
Brain ultrasound
At 1 month, girls and boys are advised to undergo a brain examination. It is called neurosonography. It is carried out through the fontanelles - sections of the skull between the bones, covered with connective tissue. They are capable of transmitting ultrasonic waves. Most often, a large fontanel, which is located on the top of the child, is involved. It can be seen with the naked eye even to parents.
All brain structures should be symmetrical, to exclude the appearance of neoplasms and structural changes. Specialist pays special attention to the hemispheres of the brain and ventricles.
Ventricles are cavities in the brain that communicate with each other and the spinal cord. They contain cerebrospinal fluid, which nourishes the brain and protects against damage.
Thanks to ultrasound, the development of the following diseases can be detected in the early stages:
- cysts (patches with fluid);
- hydrocephalus (dropsy of the brain, an increase in the amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain);
- intracranial hemorrhage;
- ischemic lesions (consequences of hypoxia);
- congenital malformations.
Ultrasound of the heart
Ultrasound of a newborn at 1 month also includes a heart examination. While the baby is in the womb, his heart works a little differently than an adult. Since the fetal lungs are inoperative, it receives oxygen from the mother’s blood. This affects the structure and work of the heart of the child.
In the structure of the heart of the fetus there is an additional hole, which is called an oval window. A few days after the birth of the child, this hole should overgrow. Ultrasound shows whether this process has occurred. If this does not happen, then this is an indication for the child to be registered with a cardiologist.
In addition, ultrasound will help to identify other malformations that are inaccessible to detection in other ways.
On ultrasound at 1 month in boys and girls it is already possible to identify some differences in the work of the heart. It is known that in girls, the heartbeat is more frequent and intense than in boys.
Ultrasound of the hip joints
This examination is carried out with the aim of eliminating hip dysplasia. In this case, the bones that are involved in the formation of the joint form abnormally, thereby forming a subluxation or dislocation of the joint.
Most often, this pathology occurs in girls (approximately 1-3% of newborns). The pediatrician may indicate the first signs of the disease. In a child, the legs can vary in length or the folds on the legs can be located asymmetrically.
It is in this situation that early diagnosis is crucial. Indeed, the late detection of a disease complicates its treatment and minimizes the chances of a successful recovery.
As a treatment for dysplasia, various orthopedic devices, gymnastics, physiotherapy and massage are prescribed.
Ultrasound of the kidneys
The number of mandatory examinations at 1 month does not apply. When a doctor visits the clinic at the age of one month, the pediatrician prescribes a urine test. If no impurities and pathologies are found, then a kidney examination is not necessary.
However, despite this, neonatal kidney disease is quite common. About 5% of children are at this risk. The most common ailment is pyeloectasia - an expansion of the renal pelvis.
If your child has any changes in the functioning of the kidneys, do not be upset early. Very often, everything is normalized on its own, just need increased attention to the baby's genitourinary system.
Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity
The list of ultrasound of the newborn at 1 month also includes an examination of OBP (abdominal organs). Examines the liver, pancreas, gall and bladder, kidneys, spleen. All these organs play an important role in the life of the child, so their diagnosis is also necessary.
Where to make an ultrasound of a newborn in 1 month, a pediatrician will tell you. Some even collaborate with private clinics, and therefore may write you a referral to a particular institution. However, anyway, the choice of location for the examination is yours, because it is your child.
The examination of OBP is recommended to be carried out 1.5-3 hours after feeding the baby. Otherwise, specialist in the intestines will interfere with the specialist.
Examination preparation
Upon learning that the child has a planned examination, parents may be interested in how to prepare for an ultrasound of a newborn in 1 month. Preparation for the examination depends on what kind of ultrasound you are doing.
For example, an ultrasound of the fontanel, which is included in neurosonography (ultrasound of the brain), is performed without preparation. In addition, there are no contraindications for this, no matter what the condition of the child.
For ultrasound of the hip joints , preparation is also not needed. The result is not affected by the time of feeding, nor the amount of food, nor its components.
But ultrasound of the abdominal cavity is carried out only after preliminary preparation. To do this, feed the baby and wait 3 hours. That is, it turns out that the examination is carried out on an empty stomach.
If the baby is breast-fed, then on the day of the examination, the mother must exclude from her diet those foods that can increase gas production in the baby (soda, cabbage, legumes).
It’s not necessary to clean the intestines artificially (that is, put an enema on the child). This is permissible only when diagnosing children older than 3 years.
Harm ultrasound for baby
Ultrasound of a newborn at 1 month, of course, is a very important and necessary procedure. However, the question arises: "Will the study harm the child?" The anxiety of parents is understandable. After all, everyone has heard about the consequences of radiation exposure on the body, so I want to reassure caring parents.
Ultrasound investigation is based on the properties of an ultrasonic wave. There is no penetrating effect of radiation in this procedure. Therefore, there is no harm to the health of the baby. That is why this type of diagnosis is used to examine young children from the first minutes of life.
Our grandparents, mothers and fathers say that a frequent examination during pregnancy can harm the baby. We can confidently assure parents, and in particular expectant mothers, that ultrasound during pregnancy can be done without fear for the condition of the fetus. The frequency of ultrasound does not affect the health of your unborn child.
Already in the hospital, your child can be examined using ultrasound diagnostics. Since we found that ultrasound does not harm, then in one day you can carry out an unlimited number of studies for a child. On the contrary, for a small person it will be less painful and unpleasant if all the necessary ultrasounds are performed at a time, without stretching it into several receptions.