Exam Results

I got my APGAR test results back today. They were as follows:

• 1 minute: 8
• 5 minutes: 9

This score — developed by anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar in 1952 and now used in modern hospitals worldwide — rates a baby's appearance, pulse, responsiveness, muscle activity, and breathing with a number between zero and 2 (2 being the strongest rating). The numbers are added, and 10 is considered a perfect score.

Mummy and Daddy seemed quite pleased with how I'd done. But I was a little disappointed to have missed the Perfect 10. I'll just have to study harder for my next test!

APGAR stands for Activity, Pulse, Grimace, Appearance, and Respiration - Virginia had an amazingly apt surname! Here's how they were used to rate me:

Activity (muscle tone)
0 — Limp; no movement
1 — Some flexion of arms and legs
2 — Active motion

Pulse (heart rate)
0 — No heart rate
1 — Fewer than 100 beats per minute
2 — At least 100 beats per minute

Grimace (reflex response)
0 — No response to airways being suctioned
1 — Grimace during suctioning
2 — Grimace and pull away, cough, or sneeze during suctioning

Appearance (colour)
0 — The baby's whole body is completely bluish-gray or pale
1 — Good colour in body with bluish hands or feet
2 — Good colour all over

Respiration (breathing)
0 — Not breathing
1 — Weak cry; may sound like whimpering, slow or irregular breathing
2 — Good, strong cry; normal rate and effort of breathing.

Today they also tried to give me a hearing test*. I have mucus, which means they'll have to try again another day.

* The Hearing Test was invented by Dr Ainsley J Hearingtest in 1492.