Apgar score facts for kids
The Apgar score is a quick test for newborn babies. It helps doctors and nurses check how healthy a baby is right after birth. This test was created in 1952 by an American doctor named Virginia Apgar.
Dr. Apgar was an anesthesiologist, a doctor who gives medicine to make people sleep during surgery. She first made the Apgar score to see how babies were affected by the medicine their mothers received during childbirth.
Today, many medical professionals use the Apgar score. This includes doctors, nurses, midwives, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The test is very popular because it is fast. It usually takes less than a minute to do.
During an Apgar test, five simple things about the baby are checked. For each of these five things, the baby gets a score of 0, 1, or 2. All these scores are added together to get the baby's total Apgar score.
The word "Apgar" is the name of the doctor who invented the test. But it is also a backronym. This means the letters in "APGAR" stand for the five things the test checks: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.
Contents
What Does the Apgar Score Check?
The Apgar score looks at five important signs of a baby's health. Each sign helps medical staff understand how well the baby is doing.
The five things that make up the Apgar score
| What is Checked? | Score of 0 | Score of 1 | Score of 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance (Skin Color) |
Blue all over (cyanosis) | Blue hands and feet Body is pink (acrocyanosis) |
Pink all over |
| Pulse (Heart rate) |
No heartbeat | Heartbeat under 100 beats per minute | Heartbeat over 100 beats per minute |
| Grimace (Response to Touch) |
No response to touch (like rubbing or flicking) |
Frowns or grimaces with a lot of touching | Cries when touched |
| Activity (Muscle Movement) |
No movement | Limp muscles | Pulls back strongly when an arm or leg is gently pulled |
| Respiration (Breathing) |
Not breathing | Breathing slowly (under 40 times per minute) Breathing is weak or gasping |
Breathing well (over 40 times per minute); or crying strongly |
What Do the Scores Mean?
The Apgar test is usually done twice. The first time is one minute after the baby is born. The second time is five minutes after birth. If a baby's score is low, the test might be done again later.
The main purpose of the Apgar score is to see if a newborn baby needs medical help. Here is what the scores usually mean:
- Scores of 7 or more are normal. The baby usually only needs basic care.
- Scores of 4, 5, or 6 are low. The baby might need some medical help. This could be things like being warmed up or given oxygen.
- Scores of 3 or below are very low. The baby might need immediate medical help. This could include CPR or help with breathing.
Understanding Low Scores
If a baby has a low Apgar score one minute after birth, it does not mean they will have long-term health problems. This is especially true if the score gets better five minutes after birth.
However, if a baby's Apgar score stays below 3 for a longer time (like 10, 15, or 30 minutes after birth), it might suggest a problem. These babies have a slightly higher chance of having brain damage or conditions like cerebral palsy. But it is important to remember that the Apgar test cannot predict for sure if a baby will have long-term health problems.
See also
In Spanish: Test de Apgar para niños
