The Nutrition Score is used to assess the subcutaneous fat deposits of the newborn infant.
Areas examined:
(1) face
(2) chest
(3) thigh
(4) buttocks
Category |
Description |
Score |
---|---|---|
face (baby supine, head in mid-line) |
excess fullness to face |
5 |
|
large temporal and buccal pads |
4 |
|
flat temporal pads with obvious buccal pads |
3 |
|
flat temporal pads with scant buccal pads |
2 |
|
concave cheeks |
1 |
chest (head in mid-line, observe anterior chest wall) |
round contour, with large fat pads in anterior axilla |
5 |
|
round contour with ribs not obvious |
4 |
|
some ribs noted |
3 |
|
ribs more obvious, with intercostal spaces prominent |
2 |
|
ribs prominent, with intercostal spaces concave |
1 |
thigh (over inguinal triangle) |
skin taut |
5 |
|
skin and subcutaneous tissue displaceable with difficulty |
4 |
|
skin and subcutaneous tissue moderately displaceable |
3 |
|
skin and soft tissue easily displaceable |
2 |
|
skin lies in folds with little subcutaneous tissue |
1 |
buttocks (body prone, legs flexed beneath abdomen) |
buttocks large, round and firm, with deep gluteal fold |
5 |
|
buttocks round and firm, with deep gluteal fold |
4 |
|
buttocks round and less firm. with flattening of inferior border; less deep gluteal fold |
3 |
|
flat inferior margin to buttocks, with gluteus maximus and perirectal muscles obvious; gluteal fold flattened |
2 |
|
little to no gluteus maximus, with inferior margin sagging; no gluteal fold |
1 |
nutrition score =
= (score for face) + (score for chest) + (score for thigh) + (score for buttocks)
Interpretation:
• minimum score 4
• maximum score 20
• normal singleton infants have a mean nutrition score of 13.8, with range of 12 to 16
Specialty: Pedatrics
ICD-10: ,