Final answer:
The Ballard Score is a medical tool used to assess a newborn's gestational age, with arm recoil being one of the signs evaluated. The Ballard Score includes criteria such as resting posture and popliteal angle, while cuddliness or social behaviors are not part of this assessment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ballard Score is a tool used in medicine to assess the gestational age of a newborn infant. This scoring system incorporates various physical and neurological criteria. One of the signs used in the Ballard Score to evaluate a newborn's maturity is arm recoil, which is the ability of the infant's arms to return to a flexed position after being extended.
Other components of the Ballard Score include resting posture, popliteal angle, and physical characteristics like skin texture, lanugo, and sole creases—all of which help determine the gestational maturity of the infant. Cuddliness or social behaviors, while important for bonding and development, are not part of the Ballard Score assessment.