Your child's physical examination Your child's doctor will
perform an examination of your child when diagnosing or
evaluating heart conditions. This examination may include a
head-to-toe assessment. A physical examination can help detect
possible heart conditions, or help determine how well your child
is coping with existing heart problems. Some of the areas that
may indicate a problem with your child's heart health include
the following: The head. The doctor will check the soft spot on
the top of your infant's head, known as the anterior fontanelle.
The anterior fontanelle is felt throughout the first year of
life. Normally, this soft spot is flat, soft, and level with the
rest of the scalp. The soft spot on the top of an infant's head
is examined to determine if there are dehydration problems. The
nostrils will be examined as your child breathes. Many
congenital (present at birth) heart defects can stress the
lungs, causing difficult breathing. Your child's doctor can
evaluate the degree of difficulty by ob