Ch 25: Growth and Development of the Newborn and Infant

The nurse is assessing the oral cavity of a 4-month-old infant. Which finding is consistent with a child of this age? A) No teeth B) 1 upper tooth C) 1 to 2 lower teeth D) 1 to 3 natal teeth

A) No teeth Normally infants are not born with teeth. Occasionally there are one or more teeth at birth. These are termed natal teeth and are often associated with anomalies. The first primary teeth typically erupt between the ages of 6 and 8 months.

A newborn infant requires skin care that includes bathing. Besides hygiene, what is another reason for bathing an infant? A) Bathing is a time for bonding with the parents. B) Bathing can prevent infection. C) Bathing is a great time to apply lotion. D) Bathing helps moisten the skin.

A) Bathing is a time for bonding with the parents. The parents can use bath time for bonding with their infant. This can be done with talking, cooing, and singing. Bath time should be slow-paced and nonstressful.

A father asks you what symptoms he can expect with normal teething in his infant. What would you tell him? A) The child's gumline will be tender. B) He can expect his child to be constipated for 2 days. C) The child's temperature may go as high as 102°F. D) The child will not play or eat for 2 days.

A) The child's gumline will be tender. Normal teething creates tender gumlines but does not include an elevated temperature or constipation.

A new mother reports that she is exhausted and that the little sleep she gets is determined by her baby's daytime naps and the few hours the baby sleeps during the night. The nurse discusses with this mother the importance of helping the infant establish healthy sleeping patterns. What would be most helpful for this mother to do to encourage healthy sleeping patterns? A) Put the baby to bed at various times of the evening. B) Use the crib for sleeping only, not for play activities. C) Wake the baby from afternoon naps after 1 hour to ensure she is sleepy by nighttime. D) Let the baby cry during the night and she will eventually fall back to sleep.

B) Use the crib for sleeping only, not for play activities. A consistent bedtime routine is usually helpful in establishing healthy sleeping patterns and in preventing sleep problems. Using the crib for sleeping only helps the child associate the bed with sleep. Depriving the baby of sleep during the afternoon or evening will make the baby over-tired and less able to establish a healthy sleeping pattern. While letting a baby cry for a while is acceptable, this does not promote consistency in the baby's sleeping pattern.

A parent asks the nurse if her 2-month-old could have bananas yet. The nurse would respond and educate the parent on the nutrition stages of infants by which of these responses? A) "Sure, if you feel she is ready to have bananas." B) "In one month you can try bananas if you think she is ready." C) "In two months you can try bananas if you think she is ready." D) "When did you feed your other child bananas?"

C) "In two months you can try bananas if you think she is ready." The nurse should choose this response because no solid foods are recommended for infants until 3 months of age. The age of 4 to 6 months is the age recommended to introduce solid foods. The other responses are the incorrect age or are letting the parent decide the appropriate answer.

A 5-month-old infant being assessed was born at 32 weeks. The nurse doing the well-child check-up should compare the baby to what norms? A) The growth of a 5-month-old B) The development of a 10-week-old C) The development of a 3-month-old D) The growth of a 2-month-old

C) The development of a 3-month-old The infant was born 8 weeks early. Two months are subtracted from the present age of 5 months. Both growth and development should be assessed using 3-month norms.

The nurse is assessing the sleeping practices of the parents of a 4-month-old girl who wakes repeatedly during the night. Which parent comment might reveal a cause for the night waking? A) The child has a regular, scheduled bedtime. B) If she is safe, they lie her down and leave. C) They put her to bed when she falls asleep. D) They sing to her before she goes to sleep.

C) They put her to bed when she falls asleep. If the parents are keeping the child up until she falls asleep, they are not creating a bedtime routine for her. Infants need a transition to sleep at this age. If the parents are singing to her before she goes to bed, if she has a regular, scheduled bedtime, and if they check on her safety when she wakes at night, then lie her down and leave, they are using good sleep practices.

The mother of a 11-month-old has come to the clinic with concerns. She reports to the nurse that her baby's "soft spot in the front" is now gone. The nurse assesses the infant and notes the fontanel has closed. What response by the nurse is most appropriate? A) "This may signal your baby's calcium levels are elevated." B) "This closure of the fontanel is very premature and warrants some further testing." C) "We will need to do additional neurological testing to make certain your infant is developing normally." D) "The soft spot or fontanel has closed."

D) "The soft spot or fontanel has closed." The anterior fontanel traditionally closes between 12 and 18 months. In some infants this may close sooner. This does not indicate there is any abnormality in the development of the infant.

An infant is breastfed. When assessing her stools, which findings would be typical? A) Breastfed infants usually have fewer stools than bottle-fed infants. B) Stools of breastfed infants tend to have a strong odor. C) Stools of breastfed infants are usually harder than those of bottle-fed infants. D) Breastfed infants are less likely to be constipated than bottle-fed infants.

D) Breastfed infants are less likely to be constipated than bottle-fed infants. The stools of breastfed infants tend to be yellow and looser than those of bottle-fed babies.

Which developmental milestone would the nurse expect an 11-month-old infant to have achieved? A) Building a tower of four cubes B) Walking independently C) Turning a doorknob D) Sitting independently

D) Sitting independently Infants typically sit independently, without support, by age 8 months. Walking independently may be accomplished as late as age 15 months and still be within the normal range. Few infants walk independently by age 11 months. Building a tower of three or four blocks is a milestone of an 18-month-old. Turning a doorknob is a milestone of a 24-month-old.