A nurse is assisting in the care of a newborn who is 72 hours old and is receiving treatment for neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Exhibits

Which of the following data collection findings should the nurse identify as requiring immediate follow-up? (Select all that apply.).

Choice A:

Two arteries and two veins. This is incorrect because the umbilical cord normally has only three blood vessels: one vein and two arteries. Having four blood vessels is a rare anomaly that can be associated with congenital defects. •

Choice B:

Two veins and one artery. This is incorrect because the umbilical cord normally has only one vein and two arteries. Having two veins and one artery is another rare anomaly that can also be associated with congenital defects. •

Choice C:

One artery and one vein. This is incorrect because the umbilical cord normally has two arteries and one vein. Having only one artery and one vein is a common anomaly that occurs in about 1% of singleton pregnancies and 5% of twin pregnancies. It can be associated with intrauterine growth restriction, congenital anomalies, and perinatal mortality. •

Choice D:

Two arteries and one vein. This is correct because the umbilical cord normally has two arteries and one vein. The vein carries oxygenated blood from the placenta to the fetus, while the arteries carry deoxygenated blood from the fetus to the placenta. The umbilical cord also contains Wharton's jelly, which is a gelatinous substance that protects the blood vessels from compression.

Choice A reason:

Hypertonic is not a type of cerebral palsy, but a term that describes increased muscle tone or stiffness. Hypertonicity can be a symptom of spastic cerebral palsy, which is the most common type of the disorder.

Choice B reason:

Spastic is a type of cerebral palsy that affects about 80% of people with the disorder. People with spastic cerebral palsy have stiff and jerky movements due to increased muscle tone.

Spastic cerebral palsy can be further classified by the body parts affected, such as spastic hemiplegia, spastic diplegia or spastic quadriplegia.

Choice C reason:

Hypotonic is a type of cerebral palsy that affects muscle tone and posture. People with hypotonic cerebral palsy have low muscle tone or floppiness, which makes them appear limp and relaxed. Hypotonic cerebral palsy can affect the whole body or specific parts, such as the trunk, limbs or face.

Choice D reason:

Ataxic is a type of cerebral palsy that affects balance and coordination. People with ataxic cerebral palsy have difficulty with precise movements, such as writing, buttoning a shirt or reaching for a book. They may also walk in an unsteady manner or have problems with depth perception.

Choice E reason:

Mixed is a type of cerebral palsy that includes symptoms of more than one type of the disorder. For example, a person with mixed cerebral palsy may have both spastic and dyskinetic movements, or both ataxic and hypotonic features. Mixed cerebral palsy is usually caused by damage to multiple areas of the brain.