What abdominal examination technique is described in the well-child check?

• A. Palpate abdomen.
• B. Percuss the liver only.
• C. Auscultate heart sounds only.
• D. Inspect for hernias only.

Answer: (A)

Palpation of the abdomen is the technique described in a well-child check. Palpation lets you feel for tenderness, guarding, masses, distension, or enlarged organs, providing direct information about the abdomen that you can’t get from inspection alone. It’s done with gentle, systematic pressure to map out any areas of concern and to assess overall abdominal status. The other options describe methods that aren’t representative of the abdominal exam in a routine well-child visit: percussing the liver only targets a specific estimate of liver size; auscultating heart sounds is part of the cardiovascular exam; inspecting for hernias alone covers only a limited aspect of the abdomen.