children s health issues
Physical Examination of a Newborn
Muscles and Bones
(See also Introduction to Birth Defects of the Face, Bones, Joints, and Muscles .) The newborn's flexibility and mobility of the arms, legs, and hips are examined to see whether the newborn has dislocated a hip or broken any bones during delivery (the collar bone is the most common bone that may break during delivery and usually heals completely within a few weeks). All limbs and joints are checked for Missing or Incompletely Formed Limbs . The spine is examined for defects or deformities (such as Neural Tube Defects and Spina Bifida ). 