Physical examination

The pediatrician examines the child in detail. First, the child is usually measured and weighed to assess the development of length growth and weight. Then follows the physical examination. During the examination, the doctor observes how the child moves and whether certain reflexes are present. Attention is also paid to the relationship and interaction between mother and child.

Extended metabolic screening

To perform the extended metabolic screening, some blood should be taken from the child on the 2nd or 3rd day of life, 36 to 72 hours after birth. Usually it is performed together with U2. One in every 1000 newborns suffers from a rare metabolic disorder or hormonal disorders.

If this is not detected early, it can lead to organ damage, mental and physical disability. As a rule, these diseases are not curable, but early treatment, for example a change in diet, can prevent or minimize the consequences. In extended metabolic screening in the context of U2, a few drops of blood from the heel or a vein are dripped onto a special filter paper.

After it has dried, the paper is sent to a screening laboratory and examined for 12 different diseases. A few days later, the sender will be informed of the result, and if necessary, he or she will contact the parents. In urgent cases, the parents of the child are also notified directly by the laboratory. A positive screening result does not necessarily mean that a disease is present. In most cases, further examinations are necessary first.

Screening for congenital hearing disorders

All newborns should be screened for hearing loss at U2. If there is a hearing disorder in infants or toddlers which is not detected, this can have serious consequences. If too few hearing impressions are passed on to the brain in children in the first four years of life, this leads to a reduced development of these brain parts.

Even with intensive support, this cannot be compensated for in the rest of life and has lasting consequences. Overall, the later a hearing disorder is discovered and treated, the more severe it is. Treatment, possibly the fitting of hearing aids and the promotion of language skills should therefore always begin as early as possible.The newborn hearing screening performed within the framework of U2 therefore serves to detect congenital hearing disorders at the earliest possible time.

Without this screening, hearing impairment would often not be noticed until the age of two to four years. Numerous hearing tests require the active cooperation of the tested person. Since this is not required of infants, simple objective tests are used in hearing screening: Otoacoustic emissions” can be used to check the function of the inner ear, while “brainstem audiometry” tests the transmission of nerve impulses from the ear to the brain and the processing of signals in the brain.

The tests are not painful and can be performed on a sleeping child. As a rule, the testing is performed by non-medical personnel. A moderate to severe hearing impairment is detected in about 3 out of 1000 newborns.

Most of those affected are not deaf, but hear worse than normal. It is important to know that not all hearing disorders can be detected in the hearing screening carried out as part of U2. Some hearing disorders occur later and can therefore only be detected at a later stage.