Wong's Ch. 18: Impact of Cognitive or Sensory Impairment on the Child and Family

What intervention is most appropriate to facilitate social development of a child with a cognitive impairment? a.Provide age-appropriate toys and play activities. b.Avoid exposure to strangers who may not understand cognitive development. c.Provide peer experiences, such as infant stimulation and preschool programs. d.Emphasize mastery of physical skills because they are delayed more often than verbal skills.

ANS: CThe acquisition of social skills is a complex task. Initially, an infant stimulation program should be used. Children of all ages need peer relationships. Parents should enroll the child in preschool. When older, they should have peer experiences similar to those of other children such as group outings, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Special Olympics. Providing age-appropriate toys and play activities is important, but peer interactions facilitate social development. Parents should expose the child to individuals who do not know the child. This enables the child to practice social skills. Verbal skills are delayed more often than physical skills.

the parents of a child with cognitive impairment ask the nurse for guidance with discipline. what should the nurses recommendation be based on? a. discipline is ineffective with cognitively impaired children b. cognitively impaired children do not require discipline c. behavior modification is an excellent form of discipline d. physical punishment is the most appropriate form of disciple

ANS: C

Which should be the major consideration when selecting toys for a child who is cognitively impaired? a. Safety b. Age appropriateness c. Ability to provide exercise d. Ability to teach useful skills

ANS: A Safety is the primary concern in selecting recreational and exercise activities for all children. This is especially true for children who are cognitively impaired. Age appropriateness, the ability to provide exercise, and the ability to teach useful skills should all be considered in the selection of toys, but safety is of paramount importance.

The nurse is talking to the parent of a 13-month-old child. The mother states, My child does not make noises like da or na like my sisters baby, who is only 9 months old. Which statement by the nurse would be most appropriate to make? a. I am going to request a referral to a hearing specialist. b. You should not compare your child to your sisters child. c. I think your child is fine, but we will check again in 3 months. d. You should ask other parents what noises their children made at this age.

ANS: A By 11 months of age a child should be making well-formed syllables such as da or na and should be referred to a specialist if not. You should not compare your child to your sisters child, I think your child is fine, but we will check again in 3 months, and You should ask other parents what noises their children made at this age are not appropriate statements to make to the parent.

Hearing is expressed in decibels (dB), or units of loudness. Which is the softest sound a normal ear can hear? a. 0 dB b. 10 dB c. 40 to 50 dB d. 100 dB

ANS: A By definition, 0 dB is the softest sound the normal ear can hear. Ten dB is the sound of the heartbeat or the rustling of leaves. 40 to 50 dB is in the range of normal conversation. The noise of a train is approximately 100 dB.

Prevention of hearing impairment in children is a major goal for the nurse. This can be achieved through which intervention? a. Being involved in immunization clinics for children b. Assessing a newborn for hearing loss c. Answering parents questions about hearing aids d. Participating in hearing screening in the community

ANS: A Childhood immunizations can eliminate the possibility of acquired sensorineural hearing loss from rubella, mumps, or measles encephalitis. Assessing a newborn for hearing loss, answering parents questions about hearing aids, and participating in hearing screening in the community are interventions to screen for the presence of hearing loss or deal with an identified loss, not prevention.

A school nurse is performing hearing screening on school children. The nurse recognizes that the most common type of hearing loss resulting from interference of transmission of sound to the middle ear is characteristic of which type of hearing loss? a. Conductive b. Sensorineural c. Mixed conductive-sensorineural d. Central auditory imperceptive

ANS: A Conductive or middle-ear hearing loss is the most common type. It results from interference of transmission of sound to the middle ear, most often from recurrent otitis media. Sensorineural, mixed conductive-sensorineural, and central auditory imperceptive are less common types of hearing loss.

A child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. The nurse should plan which priority intervention when caring for the child? a. Maintain a structured routine and keep stimulation to a minimum. b. Place child in a room with a roommate of the same age. c. Maintain frequent touch and eye contact with the child. d. Take the child frequently to the playroom to play with other children.

ANS: A Providing a structured routine for the child to follow is a key in the management of ASD. Decreasing stimulation by using a private room, avoiding extraneous auditory and visual distractions, and encouraging the parents to bring in possessions the child is attached to may lessen the disruptiveness of hospitalization. Because physical contact often upsets these children, minimum holding and eye contact may be necessary to avoid behavioral outbursts. Children with ASD need to be introduced slowly to new situations, with visits with staff caregivers kept short whenever possible. The playroom would be too overwhelming with new people and situations and should not be a priority of care.

A nurse is caring for a hearing-impaired child who lip reads. The nurse should plan which intervention to facilitate lip reading? a. Speak at an even rate. b. Exaggerate pronunciation of words. c. Avoid using facial expressions. d. Repeat in exactly the same way if child does not understand.

ANS: A The child should be helped to learn and understand how to read lips by speaking at an even rate. It interferes with the childs comprehension of the spoken word to exaggerate pronunciation of words, to avoid using facial expressions, and to repeat in exactly the same way if the child does not understand.

When should children with cognitive impairment be referred for stimulation and educational programs? a. As young as possible b. As soon as they have the ability to communicate in some way c. At age 3 years, when schools are required to provide services d. At age 5 or 6 years, when schools are required to provide services

ANS: A The childs education should begin as soon as possible. Considerable evidence exists that early intervention programs for children with disabilities are valuable for cognitively impaired children. The early intervention may facilitate the childs development of communication skills. States are encouraged to provide early intervention programs from birth under Public Law 101-476, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

A nurse is instructing a nursing assistant on techniques to facilitate lip reading with a hearing-impaired child who lip reads. Which techniques should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.) a. Speak at eye level. b. Stand at a distance from the child. c. Speak words in a loud tone. d. Use facial expressions while speaking. e. Keep sentences short.

ANS: A, D, E To facilitate lip reading for a hearing-impaired child who can lip read, the speaker should be at eye level, facing the child directly or at a 45-degree angle. Facial expressions should be used to assist in conveying messages, and the sentences should be kept short. The speaker should stand close to the child, not at a distance, and using a loud tone while speaking will not facilitate lip reading.

Autism is a complex developmental disorder. The diagnostic criteria for autism include delayed or abnormal functioning in which areas with onset before age 3 years? (Select all that apply.) a. Language as used in social communication b. Parallel play c. Gross motor development d. Growth below the 5th percentile for height and weight e. Symbolic or imaginative play f. Social interaction

ANS: A, E, F These are three of the areas in which autistic children may show delayed or abnormal functioning: language as used in social communication, symbolic or imaginative play, and social interaction. Parallel play is typical play of toddlers and is usually not affected. Gross motor development and growth below the 5th percentile for height and weight are usually not characteristic of autism.

The mother of a young child with cognitive impairment asks for suggestions about how to teach her child to use a spoon for eating. The nurse should make which recommendation? a.Do a task analysis first. b.Do not expect this task to be learned. c.Continue to spoon feed the child until the child tries to do it alone. d.Offer only finger foods so spoon feeding is unnecessary.

ANS: ASuccessful teaching begins with a task analysis. The endpoint (self-feeding, toilet training, and so on) is broken down into the component steps. The child is then guided to master the individual steps in sequence. Depending on the childs functional level, using a spoon for eating should be an achievable goal. The child requires demonstration and then guided training for each component of the self-feeding. Feeding finger foods so spoon feeding is unnecessary eliminates some of the intermediate steps that are necessary to using a fork and spoon. For socialization purposes, it is desirable that a child use feeding implements.

what is a primary goal in caring for a child with cognitive impairment? a. developing vocational skills b. promoting optimum development c. finding appropriate out-of-home care d. helping child and family adjust to future care

ANS: B

When a child with mild cognitive impairment reaches the end of adolescence, which characteristic should be expected? a. Achieves a mental age of 5 to 6 years b. Achieves a mental age of 8 to 12 years c. Unable to progress in functional reading or arithmetic d. Acquires practical skills and useful reading and arithmetic to an eighth-grade level

ANS: B By the end of adolescence, the child with mild cognitive impairment can acquire practical skills and useful reading and arithmetic to a third- to sixth-grade level. A mental age of 8 to 12 years is obtainable, and the child can be guided toward social conformity. The achievement of a mental age of 5 to 6 years and being unable to progress in functional reading or arithmetic are characteristics of children with moderate cognitive impairment. Acquiring practical skills and useful reading and arithmetic to an eighth-grade level is not descriptive of cognitive impairment.

Which is an implanted ear prosthesis for children with sensorineural hearing loss? a. Hearing aid b. Cochlear implant c. Auditory implant d. Amplification device

ANS: B Cochlear implants are surgically implanted, and they provide a sensation of hearing for individuals who have severe or profound hearing loss of sensorineural origin. Hearing aids and amplification devices are external devices for enhancing hearing. Auditory implants do not exist.

A school nurse is performing hearing screening on school children. The nurse recognizes that distortion of sound and problems in discrimination are characteristic of which type of hearing loss? a. Conductive b. Sensorineural c. Mixed conductive-sensorineural d. Central auditory imperceptive

ANS: B Sensorineural hearing loss, also known as perceptive or nerve deafness, involves damage to the inner ear structures or the auditory nerve. It results in the distortion of sounds and problems in discrimination. Conductive hearing loss involves mainly interference with loudness of sound. Mixed conductive-sensorineural hearing loss manifests as a combination of both sensorineural and conductive loss. Central auditory imperceptive hearing loss includes all hearing losses that do not demonstrate defects in the conduction or sensory structures.

The nurse should suspect a hearing impairment in an infant who demonstrates which behavior? a. Absence of the Moro reflex b. Absence of babbling by age 7 months c. Lack of eye contact when being spoken to d. Lack of gesturing to indicate wants after age 15 months

ANS: B The absence of babbling or inflections in voice by age 7 months is an indication of hearing difficulties. The absence of the Moro reflex and eye contact when being spoken to does not indicate a hearing impairment. The child with hearing impairment uses gestures rather than vocalizations to express desires at this age.

Appropriate interventions to facilitate socialization of the cognitively impaired child include: a. providing age-appropriate toys and play activities. b. providing peer experiences, such as scouting, when older. c. avoiding exposure to strangers who may not understand cognitive development. d. emphasizing mastery of physical skills because they are delayed more often than verbal skills.

ANS: B The acquisition of social skills is a complex task. Children of all ages need peer relationships. Parents should enroll the child in preschool. When older, they should have peer experiences similar to those of other children such as group outings, Boy and Girl Scouts, and Special Olympics. It is important to provide age-appropriate toys and play activities, but peer interactions will facilitate social development. Parents should expose the child to strangers so that the child can practice social skills. Verbal skills are delayed more than physical skills.

The nurse is talking with a 10-year-old boy who wears bilateral hearing aids. The left hearing aid is making an annoying whistling sound that the child cannot hear. What intervention is the most appropriate nursing action? a.Ignore the sound. b.Suggest he reinsert the hearing aid. c.Ask him to reverse the hearing aids in his ears. d.Suggest he raise the volume of the hearing aid.

ANS: B The whistling sound is acoustic feedback. The nurse should have the child remove the hearing aid and reinsert it, making sure no hair is caught between the ear mold and the ear canal. Ignoring the sound or suggesting he raise the volume of the hearing aid would be annoying to others. The hearing aids are molded specifically for each ear.

The nurse is discussing sexuality with the parents of an adolescent girl with moderate cognitive impairment. Which should the nurse consider when dealing with this issue? a. Sterilization is recommended for any adolescent with cognitive impairment. b. Sexual drive and interest are limited in individuals with cognitive impairment. c. Individuals with cognitive impairment need a well-defined, concrete code of sexual conduct. d. Sexual intercourse rarely occurs unless the individual with cognitive impairment is sexually abused.

ANS: C Adolescents with moderate cognitive impairment may be easily persuaded and lack judgment. A well-defined, concrete code of conduct with specific instructions for handling certain situations should be laid out for the adolescent. Permanent contraception by sterilization presents moral and ethical issues and may have psychological effects on the adolescent. It may be prohibited in some states. The adolescent needs to have practical sexual information regarding physical development and contraception. Cognitively impaired individuals may desire to marry and have families. The adolescent needs to be protected from individuals who may make intimate advances.

A nurse is preparing to perform a dressing change on a 6-year-old child with mild cognitive impairment (CI) who sustained a minor burn. Which strategy should the nurse use to prepare the child for this procedure? a. Verbally explain what will be done. b. Have the child watch a video on dressing changes. c. Demonstrate a dressing change on a doll. d. Explain the importance of keeping the burn area clean.

ANS: C Children with CI have a marked deficit in their ability to discriminate between two or more stimuli because of difficulty in recognizing the relevance of specific cues. However, these children can learn to discriminate if the cues are presented in an exaggerated, concrete form and if all extraneous stimuli are eliminated. Therefore, demonstration is preferable to verbal explanation, and learning should be directed toward mastering a skill rather than understanding the scientific principles underlying a procedure. Watching a video would require the use of both visual and auditory stimulation and might produce overload in the child with mild cognitive impairment. Explaining the importance of keeping the burn area clean would be too abstract for the child.

A child has just been diagnosed with fragile X syndrome. The nurse recognizes that fragile X syndrome is: a. a chromosomal defect affecting females only. b. a chromosomal defect that follows the pattern of X-linked recessive disorders. c. the second most common genetic cause of mental retardation. d. the most common cause of noninherited mental retardation.

ANS: C Fragile X syndrome is the second most common cause of mental retardation after Down syndrome. Fragile X primarily affects males, follows the inheritance pattern of X-linked dominant with reduced penetrance. This is in distinct contrast to the classic X-linked recessive pattern in which all carrier females are normal, all affected males have symptoms of the disorder, and no males are carriers.

A young child has an intelligence quotient (IQ) of 45. The nurse should document this finding as: a. within the lower limits of the range of normal intelligence. b. mild cognitive impairment but educable. c. moderate cognitive impairment but trainable. d. severe cognitive impairment and completely dependent on others for care.

ANS: C Moderate cognitively impairment IQs range between 35 and 55. The lower limit of normal intelligence is approximately 70. Individuals with IQs of 50 to 70 are considered to have mild cognitive impairment but educable. An IQ of 20 to 40 results in severe cognitive impairment.

Autism is a complex developmental disorder. The diagnostic criteria for autism include delayed or abnormal functioning in which area with onset before age 3 years? a. Parallel play b. Gross motor development c. Ability to maintain eye contact d. Growth below the fifth percentile

ANS: C One hallmark of autism spectrum disorders is the childs inability to maintain eye contact with another person. Parallel play is play typical of toddlers and is usually not affected. Social, not gross motor, development is affected by autism. Physical growth and development are not usually affected.

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD), formerly the American Association on Cognitive Impairment, classifies cognitive impairment based on what parameter? a. Age of onset b. Subaverage intelligence c. Adaptive skill domains d. Causative factors for cognitive impairment

ANS: C The AAIDD has categorized cognitive impairment into adaptive skill domains. The child must demonstrate functional impairment in at least two of the following adaptive skill domains: communication, self-care, home living, social skills, use of community resources, self-direction, health and safety, functional academics, leisure, and work. Age of onset before 18 years is part of the formal criteria.

One of the techniques that has been especially useful for learners having cognitive impairment is called fading. What description best explains this technique? a. Positive reinforcement when tasks or behaviors are mastered b. Repeated verbal explanations until tasks are faded into the child's development c. Negative reinforcement for specific tasks or behaviors that need to be faded out d. Gradually reduces the assistance given to the child so the child becomes more independent

ANS: D

A nurse is preparing a teaching session for parents on prevention of childhood hearing loss. The nurse should include that the most common cause of hearing impairment in children is: a. auditory nerve damage. b. congenital ear defects. c. congenital rubella. d. chronic otitis media.

ANS: D Chronic otitis media is the most common cause of hearing impairment in children. It is essential that appropriate measures be instituted to treat existing infections and prevent recurrences. Auditory nerve damage, congenital ear defects, and congenital rubella are rarer causes of hearing impairment.