At 1 minute following birth, the newborn exhibited the following: heart rate of 155; loud, vigorous crying with active movement of all extremities; sneezing when nose is stimulated with a catheter; hands and feet bluish and cool to the touch. The Apgar score of this newborn should be recorded as

9.

Explanation

Reponse of the infants to stimuli based on Apgar scale;

Appearance - hands and feet bluish and cool to the touch

Pulse - the infant heart rate was above 100 = (155)

Grimace; sneezing when nose is stimulated with a catheter

Activities - vigorous crying with active movement of all extremities

Respiration; the child exhibited vigorous crying.

Based on the standard Apgar score above, and the response of the infants to the stimuli, the infant can be said to be normal. The score is used to summarised the health status of the infants to safeguard safety and the need for emergency in case of abnormal health conditions.

Therefore Apgar score of 9 is appropriate, because the infants met all the basic response on Apgar scale. Although 10 could also be given to this infants, but based on the scale there is no different between score of 10 and 9. Thus 9 is awarded.

Generally scores of 7 and above are normal, 4-6 are fair but below 3 requires medical attention.