THE JAW INDEX - NEW GUIDE DEFINING MICROGNATHIA IN NEWBORNS

Objective: Newborns with glossoptosis due to micrognathia can suffer f rom life-threatening respiratory distress and severe feeding difficult ies. These characteristic features are found in newborns with Pierre R obin sequence, In the relevant literature, no concensus concerning dia gnosis for these children can be found. A guide defining micrognathia can be helpful in the diagnosis of glossoptosis and possible airway ob struction. Method: The jaw index is obtained in newborns by measuring three facial dimensions. In a series of 100 healthy neonates the stand ard measures were defined. Results: The average jaw index in children with Pierre Robin sequence differs significantly from the reference gr oup and was found to be over 3.6 times the normal value. Conclusions: Micrognathia can be defined with the jaw index.