Question

For each assessment, please be sure to name the instruments that would be used in the process.

Question 1

Discuss the assessment techniques of the neurological system in an infant and include one usual abnormal finding

Question 2

Discuss the assessment techniques of the abdomen in an adult male and include one usual abnormal finding

Question 3

Discuss the assessment techniques of the musculoskeletal system of an older adult, focusing on lower extremities (NOT ambulation), and include one usual abnormal finding

Answer 1

Ans 1 - CNS examination is devided into followings

1) Spine - One should see for midline defects, dimples and tufts of hair to look for neural tube defects.

2) Head - Size and shape.

An increase in head circumference of a centimeter per month is normally observed during the first six months, and a centimeter every two months for the remaining six months of the first year.

Abnormalities are

• Microcephaly

• Macrocephaly

3) Cranial Nerves Examinations - One should observe for activity of child in which often reveals cranial nerve deficit. Eg. deficit in facial expression with drooling of saliva and unilateral inability to close eyes suggests facial nerve palsy, eye movement for occulomotor and trochlear nerve palsy

4) Cry of infant - it also gives us information about CNS status

NORMAL - lusty and strong and quickly responding to stimuli

ABNORMAL - dull and not responding to stimuli

,

Ans 2 - Abdominal examination of adult male, It is devided into FOLLOWING

1) INSPECTION -

SHAPE - Normal - flat abdomen, Abnormal - distended or scaphoid

2) PALPATION -

Feel of abdomen - Normal is SOFT, Abnormal findings would be rigid

Tenderness - present is abnormal (in normal individual there is no tenderness)

3) PERCUSSION -

NORMAL - Tympanic note

ABNORMAL - DULL(fluid in abdominal cavity) OR RESONANT NOTE (free air in abdominal cavity)

4) AUSCULTATION -

NORMAL - bowel sounds - present

ABNORMAL - bowel sounds - ABsent

ANS 3 - assessment techniques of the musculoskeletal system of an older adult

It is done by checking movements at each joints, for eg. in lower limb we see HIP, KNEE and ANKLE JOINTS,

HIP JOINT - Movement at hip joint are FLEXION, EXTENSION, ABDUCTION, ADDUCTION AND 360 degree ROTATION.

Patient is asked first to do it actively and then against doctors resistance and accordingly grading is done

KNEE JOINT - Movement at KNEE joint are FLEXION and EXTENSION,

Again patient is asked first to do it actively and then against doctors resistance and accordingly grading is done.

ANKLE JOINT - Movement at ANKLE joint are DORSI-FLEXION, PLANTAR -FLEXION, EVERSION and INVERSION

Similarly, patient is asked first to do it actively and then against doctors resistance and accordingly grading is done.