A nurse is assessing a newborn who has Erb-Duchenne palsy.
Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Choice A rationale

The car seat harness straps should be positioned at or slightly below the baby's shoulders when the car seat is installed rear-facing. Positioning the straps above the shoulders could allow the baby to slide up and out of the harness in a crash due to the forces involved, compromising the restraint system's effectiveness and increasing injury risk.

Choice B rationale

The retainer clip, also called the chest clip, must be positioned at the level of the armpits across the center of the chest or sternum, not the abdomen. This critical placement ensures that the harness straps are kept correctly positioned over the baby's shoulders, preventing the straps from slipping off during a collision and maintaining optimal force distribution across the torso.

Choice C rationale

A 45-degree recline angle for a rear-facing car seat is generally recommended to prevent the infant's head from falling forward, which can compromise the airway, particularly in newborns or infants with poor head control. This specific angle is crucial for maintaining a safe and open airway and is often achieved using built-in level indicators on the car seat base.

Choice D rationale

Current safety recommendations advise keeping a child in a rear-facing car seat as long as possible, typically until they reach the maximum weight or height limit allowed by the car seat manufacturer, which often extends well beyond 12 months of age, frequently up to 2 to 4 years of age, for maximum spinal protection.

Choice A rationale

Erb-Duchenne palsy, a form of brachial plexus injury (C5-C6), primarily affects the nerves controlling the shoulder and upper arm muscles. It generally does not affect cranial nerves (such as IX and X, which control swallowing) or the muscles of the mouth, thus typically preserving the ability to suck and swallow.

Choice B rationale

The Moro (startle) reflex involves symmetrical extension and abduction of the arms followed by adduction and flexion. An injury to the brachial plexus on one side impairs the motor function of that arm, resulting in the characteristic absence of the reflex in the affected extremity, which is a key diagnostic finding.

Choice C rationale

The Babinski reflex is a normal neurological finding in infants up to about 2 years old, reflecting immature corticospinal tracts. It is a foot reflex and is unrelated to a brachial plexus injury in the neck and shoulder area; thus, its presence is not a specific finding for Erb-Duchenne palsy.

Choice D rationale

Cleft palate is a congenital craniofacial malformation resulting from incomplete fusion of the palatine shelves during fetal development. It is a structural anomaly of the mouth and is not a finding or complication associated with Erb-Duchenne palsy, which is a neuromuscular injury sustained, most commonly, during birth.