Heart sounds are audible by stethoscope, most prominently beneath the sternum. There may be marked sinus arrhythmia. Newborns with severe congenital heart diseases, such as aortic atresia or hypoplasia of the right or left ventricle, may present with cyanosis or heart failure. Doppler BP uses an ultrasound transducer in the inflatable cuff to detect vessel turbulence during deflation and thereby accurately determines systolic and diastolic pressures. Alternatively flush BPs can be measured.
Blood is drained from a limb by elevating it until the skin pales.
The extremities should be symmetrically placed and actively mobile. Female infants and those delivered in the breech position are particularly prone to have a dislocated hip. If hip mobility is in question, an ultrasound should be obtained and an orthopedist consulted. Using double or triple diapers may be adequate treatment for minimal congenital dysplasia of the hip joint. In more severe cases, an orthopedist should apply an abduction splint, but only after reviewing the ultrasound.