Final answer:
Muscle tone in newborns is assessed through the Apgar test, taken at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. Muscle tone is examined by gently moving the newborn's limbs and checking for normal resistance, which contributes to the total Apgar score out of 10, indicating a newborn's wellbeing.
Step-by-step explanation:
To assess activity (muscle tone) in a newborn, medical professionals perform an Apgar test immediately after birth. This test includes evaluating muscle tone as one of the five critical criteria. When assessing muscle tone, a newborn's limbs are gently moved to check for normal resistance and slight contraction, indicating good muscle tone. The newborn should show some flexion of the arms and legs, and resistance to the extension is what constitutes a normal score. A completely relaxed, limp muscle tone, or hypotonicity, would score a 0, indicating potential distress or underlying neurological problems.
The Apgar score is taken twice, at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth, to monitor the newborn's transition from the womb to the external environment. Each criterion, which also includes skin color, heart rate, reflex, and respiration, is given a score of 0, 1, or 2. The total is then summed to give an overall score out of 10. A high score signifies that the baby is transitioning well, while a lower score may indicate distress and the need for medical intervention. This method was introduced by Dr. Virginia Apgar in 1952 and has been a standard for assessing newborns' health ever since.