Chapter 6 - Life Span Development

By the end of the first year of life, a child's tidal volume typically ranges between:

10 and 15 mL/kg.

When communicating with an older patient, it is important to remember that:

age-related changes diminish the effectiveness of the eyes and ears.

When assessing an 80-year-old patient in shock, it is important to remember that:

age-related changes in the cardiovascular system may make the patient less able to compensate for decreased perfusion.

Factors that contribute to a decline in the vital capacity of an elderly patient include all of the following, EXCEPT:

increased surface area available for air exchange.

Which of the following is NOT a common factor that would affect a 75-year-old patient's vital signs?

increased weight

In late adults, the amount of air left in the lungs after expiration of the maximum amount of air:

increases, which hampers diffusion of gases because of stagnant air that remains in the alveoli.

At what age does separation anxiety typically peak in infants and small children?

10 to 18 months

The human body should be functioning at its optimal level between the ages of:

19 and 25 years.

The high normal respiratory rate for a neonate is:

60 breaths/min.

The average pulse rate of individuals between 19 and 60 years of age is typically:

70 beats/min.

The average pulse rate of individuals between 19 and 60 years of age is:

70 beats/min.

The pulse rate of a child from ages 6 to 12 years is approximately:

70 to 120 beats/min.

At present, the average life expectancy is _____ years, while the maximum life expectancy is estimated at _____ years.

78, 120

The anterior fontanelle fuses together between the ages of:

9 and 18 months.

The low normal systolic blood pressure for a 30-year-old is:

90 mm Hg

The low normal systolic blood pressure for a 30-year-old is:

90 mm Hg.

Which of the following statements regarding an infant's vital signs is correct?

An infant's normal body temperature is typically higher than a preschooler's.

Which of the following is an anatomic difference between children and adults?

An infant's tongue is proportionately larger than an adult's.

Which of the following statements regarding psychosocial development in the adolescent age group is correct?

Antisocial behavior and peer pressure peak during the eighth or ninth grade.

Which of the following statements regarding middle adults is correct?

Cardiovascular health becomes an issue in this age group, as does the greater incidence of cancer.

Which of the following statements regarding age-related changes in the nervous system is correct?

Interconnections between brain cells often prevent a loss of knowledge or skill, despite a loss of neurons.

Which of the following is a physical change that typically occurs in the early adolescent age group?

Secondary sexual development begins.

Which of the following describes the Moro reflex?

The neonate opens his or her arms wide, spreads his or her fingers, and seems to grasp at something after being startled.

Why do middle adults commonly experience financial concerns?

They are preparing for retirement but must still manage everyday financial demands.

Which of the following statements regarding toddlers and preschoolers is correct?

Toddlers and preschoolers commonly experience upper respiratory infections because of a loss of passive immunity.

Age-related changes in the renal system result in:

a decreased ability to clear wastes from the body and a decreased ability to conserve fluids when needed.

Changes in sleep patterns experienced by elderly patients is mostly caused by:

a loss of neurons in the brain.

In preconventional reasoning, children:

act almost purely to avoid punishment and to get what they want.

You respond to a residence for an 82-year-old female who, according to her daughter, is "not herself today." The patient is conscious, but confused, and has slurred speech. Her medical history is significant for hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, hypothyroidism, and several strokes. The daughter hands your partner a list of her mother's medications, which is extensive. In addition to administering supplemental oxygen, you should:

assess her blood glucose level and administer dextrose if needed.

You respond to a residence for an 82-year-old female who, according to her daughter, is "not herself today." The patient is conscious, but confused, and has slurred speech. Her medical history is significant for hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, hypothyroidism, and several strokes. The daughter hands your partner a list of her mother's medications, which is extensive. In addition to administering supplemental oxygen, you should:

assess the patient's blood glucose level and administer dextrose if needed.

The decline in cardiac function that commonly occurs in late adulthood is largely related to:

atherosclerosis.

Neonates are defined as children:

between birth and 1 month of age.

An infant's blood pressure typically increases with age because:

blood pressure directly corresponds to body weight.

Why does the incidence of diabetes mellitus increase with age?

decreased physical activity, increased weight gain, and decreased insulin production

The systolic blood pressure of a 65-year-old male or female:

depends on his or her general health.

Breathing is often more labor intensive in older adults because the:

elasticity of the lungs decreases.

You suspect that a 75-year-old man has internal injuries after he fell and struck his ribs and abdomen on the corner of a table. When assessing and treating him, it is important to recall that:

his ability to physiologically compensate for his injury may be impaired by an inability to increase cardiac output.

Physical changes that typically occur in early adults include an:

increase in fatty tissue, which leads to weight gain.

When considering spinal immobilization of an infant who fell, it is important for the AEMT to remember that:

infants and small children often land head first because their head accounts for 25% of their body weight.

A 16-year-old female complains of vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping that began several hours ago. During your assessment interview, you should

inquire about the possibility of pregnancy in private, if possible.

A 16-year-old female complains of vaginal bleeding and abdominal cramping that began several hours ago. During your assessment interview, you should:

inquire about the possibility of pregnancy in private, if possible.

A body temperature of 99.4°F in a 2-year-old child:

is normal for his or her age.

According to the terminal drop hypothesis:

mental function is presumed to decline in the 5 years preceding death

According to the terminal drop hypothesis:

mental function is presumed to decline in the 5 years preceding death.

Which of the following are noticeable characteristics of a 9-month-old infant?

places objects in the mouth, pulls himself or herself up

An infant or small toddler would MOST likely gain trust in an individual who:

provides a planned, organized, routine environment.

Within the first 30 minutes after birth, a neonate's:

pulse rate decreases to approximately 120 beats/min.

You are assessing a 13-month-old female who is running a fever and has been vomiting. While you are performing your physical examination on this child, you will MOST likely find that she:

responds to her name but is fearful of your presence.

In contrast to secure attachment, anxious-avoidant attachment occurs when a child:

shows little emotional response to a parent or caregiver following repeated rejection.

The risk of bleeding in the skull, which increases with age, is MOST directly related to:

shrinkage of the brain.

You are dispatched to a call for a 4-month-old infant with respiratory distress. While you prepare to care for this child, you must remember that:

small infants are nose breathers and require clear nasal passages at all times.

Aging is often associated with diminished proprioception, which is defined as:

the ability to know where various parts of the body are located in relation to each other.

With increasing age, the heart must work harder to move the blood effectively because:

the blood vessels become stiff.

An infant or small child's airway can be occluded if it is overextended or overflexed because:

the tongue is proportionately large and the airway is shorter and narrower.

Infants are often referred to as "belly breathers" because:

their rib cage is less rigid and the ribs sit horizontally.