4 Questions (Ch. 34)

An 8-year-old girl tells the nurse that she has cancer because God is punishing her for "being bad." She shares her concern that, if she dies, she will go to hell. The nurse should interpret this as being: a. A belief common at this age. b. A belief that forms the basis for most religions. c. Suggestive of excessive family pressure. d. Suggestive of a failure to develop a conscience.

A Children at this age may view illness or injury as a punishment for a real or imagined mystique. The belief in divine punishment is common at this age.

A 9-year-old girl often comes to the school nurse complaining of stomach pains. Her teacher says that she is completing her schoolwork satisfactorily, but lately she has been somewhat aggressive and stubborn in the classroom. The school nurse should recognize this as: a. Signs of stress. b. Developmental delay. c. A physical problem causing emotional stress. d. Lack of adjustment to the school environment.

A Signs of stress include stomach pains or headache, sleep problems, bed-wetting, changes in eating habits, aggressive or stubborn behavior, reluctance to participate, or regression to early behaviors. This child is exhibiting signs of stress, not developmental delay, a physical problem, or lack of adjustment.

Teasing can be common during the school-age years. Which of the following does the nurse recognize as applying most to teasing? a. Can have a lasting effect on children b. Is not a significant threat to self-concept c. Is rarely based on anything that is concrete d. Is usually ignored by the child who is being teased

A Teasing in this age group is common and can have a long-lasting effect. Increasing awareness of differences, especially when accompanied by unkind comments and taunts from others, may make a child feel inferior and undesirable. Physical impairments such as hearing or visual defects, ears that "stick out," or birth marks assume great importance.

A nurse is recommending strategies to a group of school-age children for prevention of obesity. Which should the nurse include (select all that apply)? a. Eat breakfast daily. b. Limit fruits and vegetables. c. Have frequent family meals with parents present. d. Eat frequently at restaurants. e. Limit television viewing to 2 hours a day.

A, C, E The nurse should counsel school-age children to eat breakfast daily, have mealtimes with family, and limit television viewing to 2 hours a day to prevent obesity. Fruits and vegetables should be consumed in the recommended quantities, and eating at restaurants should be limited.

What describes moral development in younger school-age children? a. The standards of behavior now come from within themselves. b. They do not yet experience a sense of guilt when they misbehave. c. They know the rules and behaviors expected of them but do not understand the reasons behind them. d. They no longer interpret accidents and misfortunes as punishment for misdeeds.

C Children who are ages 6 and 7 years know the rules and behaviors expected of them but do not understand the reasons for them. Young children do not believe that standards of behavior come from within themselves but that rules are established and set down by others. Younger school-age children learn standards for acceptable behavior, act according to these standards, and feel guilty when they violate them. Misfortunes and accidents are viewed as punishment for bad acts.

Generally the earliest age at which puberty begins is: a. 13 years in girls, 13 years in boys. c. 10 years in girls, 12 years in boys. b. 11 years in girls, 11 years in boys. d. 12 years in girls, 10 years in boys.

C Puberty signals the beginning of the development of secondary sex characteristics. This begins in girls earlier than in boys. Usually a 2-year difference occurs in the age at onset. Girls and boys do not usually begin puberty at the same age; girls usually begin earlier than boys do.

Which activity is most appropriate for developing fine motor skills in the school-age child? a. Drawing c. Soccer b. Singing d. Swimming

A Activities such as drawing, building models, and playing a musical instrument increase the school-age child's fine motor skills. Singing is an appropriate activity for the school-age child, but it does not increase fine motor skills. The school-age child needs to participate in group activities to increase both gross motor skills and social skills, but group activities do not increase fine motor skills. Swimming is an activity that also increases gross motor skills.

Parents of a 12-year-old child ask the clinic nurse, "How many hours of sleep should our child get?' The nurse should respond that 12-year-old children need how many hours of sleep at night? a. 8 c. 10 b. 9 d. 11

B School-age children usually do not require naps, but they do need to sleep approximately 11 hours at age 5 years and 9 hours at age 12 years each night.

The school nurse has been asked to begin teaching sex education in the 5th grade. The nurse should recognize that: a. Children in 5th grade are too young for sex education. b. Children should be discouraged from asking too many questions. c. Correct terminology should be reserved for children who are older. d. Sex can be presented as a normal part of growth and development.

D When sex information is presented to school-age children, sex should be treated as a normal part of growth and development. Fifth graders are usually 10 to 11 years old. This age is not too young to speak about physiologic changes in their bodies. They should be encouraged to ask questions. Preadolescents need precise and concrete information.

When teaching injury prevention during the school-age years, the nurse should include: a. Teaching the need to fear strangers. b. Teaching basic rules of water safety. c. Avoiding letting children cook in microwave ovens. d. Cautioning children against engaging in competitive sports.

B Water safety instruction is an important source of injury prevention at this age. The child should be taught to swim, select safe and supervised places to swim, swim with a companion, check sufficient water depth for diving, and use an approved flotation device. Teach stranger safety, not fearing strangers. This includes not going with strangers, not having personalized clothing in public places, having children tell parents if anyone makes them uncomfortable, and teaching children to say "no" in uncomfortable situations. Teach children safe cooking methods. Caution against engaging in hazardous sports, such as those involving trampolines.

A nurse teaches parents that team play is important for school-age children. Which can children develop by experiencing team play (select all that apply)? a. Achieve personal goals over group goals. b. Learn complex rules. c. Experience competition. d. Learn about division of labor.

B, C, D Team play helps stimulate cognitive growth because children are called on to learn many complex rules, make judgments about those rules, plan strategies, and assess the strengths and weaknesses of members of their own team and members of the opposing team. Team play can also contribute to children's social, intellectual, and skill growth. Children work hard to develop the skills needed to become team members, to improve their contribution to the group, and to anticipate the consequences of their behavior for the group. Team play teaches children to modify or exchange personal goals for goals of the group; it also teaches them that division of labor is an effective strategy for attaining a goal.

The role of the peer group in the life of school-age children is that it: a. Gives them an opportunity to learn dominance and hostility. b. Allows them to remain dependent on their parents for a longer time. c. Decreases their need to learn appropriate sex roles. d. Provides them with security as they gain independence from their parents.

D Peer-group identification is an important factor in gaining independence from parents. Through peer relationships, children learn ways to deal with dominance and hostility. They also learn how to relate to people in positions of leadership and authority and explore ideas and the physical environment. Peer-group identification helps in gaining independence rather than remaining dependent. A child's concept of appropriate sex roles is influenced by relationships with peers.

A child has an evulsed (knocked-out) tooth. In which medium should the nurse instruct the parents to place the tooth for transport to the dentist? a. Cold milk c. Warm salt water b. Cold water d. A dry, clean jar

A An evulsed tooth should be placed in a suitable medium for transport, either cold milk or saliva (under the child's or parent's tongue). Cold milk is a more suitable medium for transport than cold water, warm salt water, or a dry, clean jar.

The ability to mentally understand that 1 + 3 = 4 and 4 - 3 = 1 occurs in which stage of cognitive development? a. Concrete operations stage c. Intuitive thought stage b. Formal operations stage d. Preoperations stage

A By 7 to 8 years of age, the child is able to retrace a process (reversibility) and has the skills necessary for solving mathematical problems. This stage is called concrete operations. The formal operations stage deals with abstract reasoning and does not occur until adolescence. Thinking in the intuitive stage is based on immediate perceptions. A child in this stage often solves problems by random guessing. In preoperational thinking, the child is usually able to add 1 + 3 = 4 but is unable to retrace the process.

Which statement characterizes moral development in older school-age children? a. They are able to judge an act by the intentions that prompted it rather than just by the consequences. b. Rules and judgments become more absolute and authoritarian. c. They view rule violations in an isolated context. d. They know the rules but cannot understand the reasons behind them.

A Older school-age children are able to judge an act by the intentions that prompted the behavior rather than just by the consequences. Rules and judgments become less absolute and authoritarian. Rule violation is likely to be viewed in relation to the total context in which it appears. Both the situation and the morality of the rule itself influence reactions.

Peer victimization is becoming a significant problem for school-age children and adolescents in the United States. Parents should be educated regarding signs that a child is being bullied. These might include (select all that apply): a. The child spends an inordinate amount of time in the nurse's office. b. Belongings frequently go missing or are damaged. c. The child wants to be driven to school. d. School performance improves. e. The child freely talks about his or her day.

A, B, C Signs that may indicate a child is being bullied are similar to signs of other types of stress and include nonspecific illness or complaints, withdrawal, depression, school refusal, and decreased school performance. Children expressed fear of going to school or riding the school bus, and their belongings often are damaged or missing. Very often, children will not talk about what is happening to them.

Which demonstrates the school-age child's developing logic in the stage of concrete operations (select all that apply)? a. The school-age child is able to recognize that he can be a son, brother, or nephew at the same time. b. The school-age child understands the principles of adding, subtracting, and reversibility. c. The school-age child understands the principles of adding, subtracting, and reversibility. d. The school-age child has thinking that is characterized by egocentrism and animism.

A, B, C The school-age child understands that the properties of objects do not change when their order, form, or appearance does. Conservation occurs in the concrete operations stage. Comprehension of class inclusion occurs as the school-age child's logic increases. The child begins to understand that a person can be in more than one class at the same time. This is characteristic of concrete thinking and logical reasoning. The school-age child is able to understand principles of adding, subtracting, and the process of reversibility, which occurs in the stage of concrete operations. Thinking that is characterized by egocentrism and animism occurs in the intuitive thought stage, not the concrete operations stage of development.

A nurse is planning care for a 7-year-old child hospitalized with osteomyelitis. Which activities should the nurse plan to bring from the playroom for the child (select all that apply)? a. Paper and some paints b. Board games c. Jack-in-the-box d. Stuffed animals e. Computer games

A, B, E School-age children become fascinated with complex board, card, or computer games that they can play alone, with a best friend, or with a group. They also enjoy sewing, cooking, carpentry, gardening, and creative activities such as painting. Jack-in-the-box and stuffed animals would be appropriate for a toddler or preschool child.

Which statement best describes fear in school-age children? a. They are increasingly fearful for body safety. b. Most of the new fears that trouble them are related to school and family. c. They should be encouraged to hide their fears to prevent ridicule by peers. d. Those who have numerous fears need continuous protective behavior by parents to eliminate these fears.

B During the school-age years, children experience a wide variety of fears, but new fears related predominantly to school and family bother children during this time. During the middle-school years, children become less fearful of body safety than they were as preschoolers. Parents and other persons involved with children should discuss their fear with them individually or as a group activity. Sometimes school-age children hide their fears to avoid being teased. Hiding the fears does not end them and may lead to phobias.

Which statement accurately describes physical development during the school-age years? a. The child's weight almost triples. b. A child grows an average of 2 inches per year. c. Few physical differences are apparent among children at the end of middle childhood. d. Fat gradually increases, which contributes to the child's heavier appearance.

B In middle childhood, growth in height and weight occur at a slower pace. Between the ages of 6 and 12 years, children grow 2 inches per year. In middle childhood, children's weight will almost double; they gain 3 kg/year. At the end of middle childhood, girls grow taller and gain more weight than boys. Children take on a slimmer look with longer legs in middle childhood.

What is descriptive of the play of school-age children? a. Individuality in play is better tolerated than at earlier ages. b. Knowing the rules of a game gives an important sense of belonging. c. They like to invent games, making up the rules as they go. d. Team play helps children learn the universal importance of competition and winning.

B Play involves increased physical skill, intellectual ability, and fantasy. Children form groups and cliques and develop a sense of belonging to a team or club. At this age, children begin to see the need for rules. Conformity and ritual permeate their play. Their games have fixed and unvarying rules, which may be bizarre and extraordinarily rigid. With team play, children learn about competition and the importance of winning, an attribute highly valued in the United States.

A nurse is assessing an older school-age child recently admitted to the hospital. Which assessment indicates that the child is in an appropriate stage of cognitive development? a. The child's addition and subtraction ability b. The child's ability to classify c. The child's vocabulary d. The child's play activity

B The ability to classify things from simple to complex and the ability to identify differences and similarities are cognitive skills of the older school-age child; this demonstrates use of classification and logical thought processes. Subtraction and addition are appropriate cognitive activities for the young school-age child. Vocabulary is not as valid an assessment of cognitive ability as is the child's ability to classify. Play activity is not as valid an assessment of cognitive function as is the ability to classify.

An important consideration for the school nurse who is planning a class on bicycle safety is: a. Most bicycle injuries involve collision with an automobile. b. Head injuries are the major causes of bicycle-related fatalities. c. Children should wear bicycle helmets if they ride on paved streets. d. Children should not ride double unless the bicycle has an extra-large seat.

B The most important aspect of bicycle safety is to encourage the rider to use a protective helmet. Head injuries are the major cause of bicycle-related fatalities. Although motor vehicle collisions do cause injuries to bicyclists, most injuries result from falls. The child should always wear a properly fitted helmet approved by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Children should not ride double.

Which behavior by parents or teachers will best assist the child in negotiating the developmental task of industry? a. Identifying failures immediately and asking the child's peers for feedback b. Structuring the environment so the child can master tasks c. Completing homework for children who are having difficulty in completing assignments d. Decreasing expectations to eliminate potential failures

B The task of the caring teacher or parent is to identify areas in which a child is competent and to build on successful experiences to foster feelings of mastery and success. Structuring the environment to enhance self-confidence and to provide the opportunity to solve increasingly more complex problems will promote a sense of mastery. Asking peers for feedback reinforces the child's feelings of failure. When teachers or parents complete children's homework for them, it sends the message that they do not trust the children to do a good job. Providing assistance and suggestions and praising their best efforts are more appropriate. Decreasing expectations to eliminate failures will not promote a sense of achievement or mastery.

A nurse is teaching parents of first-grade children general guidelines to assist their children in adapting to school. Which statement by the parents indicates they understand the teaching? a. "We will only meet with the teacher if problems occur." b. "We will discourage hobbies so our child focuses on schoolwork." c. "We will plan a trip to the library as often as possible." d. "We will expect our child to make all As in school."

C General guidelines for parents to help their child in school include sharing an interest in reading. The library should be used frequently and books the child is reading should be discussed. Hobbies should be encouraged. The parents should not expect all As. They should focus on growth more than grades.

A nurse planning care for a school-age child should take into account that which thought process is seen at this age? a. Animism c. Ability to conserve b. Magical thinking d. Thoughts are all-powerful

C One cognitive task of school-age children is mastering the concept of conservation. At an early age (5 to 7 years), children grasp the concept of reversibility of numbers as a basis for simple mathematics problems (e.g., 2 + 4 = 6 and 6 - 4 = 2). They learn that simply altering their arrangement in space does not change certain properties of the environment, and they are able to resist perceptual cues that suggest alterations in the physical state of an object. Animism, magical thinking, and believing that thoughts are all-powerful are thought processes seen in preschool children.

A group of boys ages 9 and 10 years have formed a "boys-only" club that is open to neighborhood and school friends who have skateboards. This should be interpreted as: a. Behavior that encourages bullying and sexism. b. Behavior that reinforces poor peer relationships. c. Characteristic of social development of this age. d. Characteristic of children who later are at risk for membership in gangs.

C One of the outstanding characteristics of middle childhood is the creation of formalized groups or clubs. Peer-group identification and association are essential to a child's socialization. Poor relationships with peers and a lack of group identification can contribute to bullying. A boys-only club does not have a direct correlation with later gang activity.

Identify the statement that is the most accurate about moral development in the 9-year-old school-age child. a. Right and wrong are based on physical consequences of behavior. b. The child obeys parents because of fear of punishment. c. The school-age child conforms to rules to please others. d. Parents are the determiners of right and wrong for the school-age child.

C The 7- to 12-year-old child bases right and wrong on a good-boy or good-girl orientation in which the child conforms to rules to please others and avoid disapproval. Children 4 to 7 years of age base right and wrong on consequences, the most important consideration for this age-group. Parents determine right and wrong for the child younger than 4 years of age.

What describes the cognitive abilities of school-age children? a. Have developed the ability to reason abstractly b. Become capable of scientific reasoning and formal logic c. Progress from making judgments based on what they reason to making judgments based on what they see d. Have the ability to classify, group and sort, and hold a concept in their minds while making decisions based on that concept

D In Piaget's stage of concrete operations, children have the ability to group and sort and make conceptual decisions. Children cannot reason abstractly until late adolescence. Scientific reasoning and formal logic are skills of adolescents. Making judgments on what the child sees versus what he or she reasons is not a developmental skill.

What is characteristic of dishonest behavior in children ages 8 to 10 years? a. Cheating during games is now more common. b. Lying results from the inability to distinguish between fact and fantasy. c. They may steal because their sense of property rights is limited. d. They may lie to meet expectations set by others that they have been unable to attain.

D Older school-age children may lie to meet expectations set by others to which they have been unable to measure up. Cheating usually becomes less frequent as the child matures. In this age group, children are able to distinguish between fact and fantasy. Young children may lack a sense of property rights; older children may steal to supplement an inadequate allowance, or it may be an indication of serious problems.

Which comment is most developmentally typical of a 7-year-old boy? a. "I am a Power Ranger, so don't make me angry." b. "I don't know whether I like Mary or Joan better." c. "My mom is my favorite person in the world." d. "Jimmy is my best friend."

D School-age children form friendships with peers of the same sex, those who live nearby, and other children who have toys that they enjoy sharing. Magical thinking is developmentally appropriate for the preschooler. Opposite-sex friendships are not typical for the 7-year-old child. Seven-year-old children socialize with their peers, not their parents.

A school nurse is teaching dental health practices to a group of sixth-grade children. How often should the nurse recommend the children brush their teeth? a. Twice a day b. Three times a day c. After meals d. After meals and snacks, and at bedtime

D Teeth should be brushed after meals, after snacks, and at bedtime. Children who brush their teeth frequently and become accustomed to the feel of a clean mouth at an early age usually maintain the habit throughout life. Twice a day, three times a day, or only after meals would not be often enough.

Which behavior is not normally demonstrated in the 8-year-old child? a. Understands that his or her point of view is not the only one b. Enjoys telling riddles and silly jokes c. Understands that pouring liquid from a small to a large container does not change the amount d. Engages in fantasy and magical thinking

D The preschool child engages in fantasy and magical thinking. The school-age child moves away from this type of thinking and becomes more skeptical and logical. Belief in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny ends in this period of development. School-age children enter the stage of concrete operations. They learn that their point of view is not the only one. The school-age child has a sense of humor. The child's increased language mastery and increased logic allow for appreciation of plays on words, jokes, and incongruities. The school-age child understands that properties of objects do not change when their order, form, or appearance does.

The father of 12-year-old Ryan tells the nurse that he is concerned about his son getting "fat." Ryan's body mass index for age is at the 60th percentile. The most appropriate nursing action is to: a. Reassure the father that Ryan is not "fat." b. Reassure the father that Ryan is just a growing child. c. Suggest a low-calorie, low-fat diet. d. Explain that this is typical of the growth pattern of boys at this age.

D This is a characteristic pattern of growth in preadolescent boys, in which the growth in height has slowed in preparation for the pubertal growth spurt but weight is still gained. This should be reviewed with both the father and Ryan, and a plan should be developed to maintain physical exercise and a balanced diet. Saying that Ryan is not "fat" is false reassurance. His weight is high for his height. Ryan needs to maintain his physical activity. The father is concerned; an explanation is required. A nutritional diet with physical activity should be sufficient to maintain his balance.