Ch. 28: Developmental and Genetic Influences on Child Health Promotion

The theorist who viewed developmental progression as a lifelong series of conflicts that need resolution is: a. Erikson. c. Kohlberg. b. Freud. d. Piaget.

ANS: A Erik Erikson viewed development as a series of conflicts affected by social and cultural factors. Each conflict must be resolved for the child to progress emotionally, with unsuccessful resolution leaving the child emotionally disabled. Sigmund Freud proposed a psychosexual theory of development. He proposed that certain parts of the body assume psychological significance as foci of sexual energy. The foci shift as the individual moves through the different stages (oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital) of development. Lawrence Kohlberg described moral development as having three levels (preconventional, conventional, and postconventional). His theory closely parallels Piaget's. Jean Piaget's cognitive theory interprets how children learn and think and how this thinking progresses and differs from adult thinking. Stages of his theory include sensorimotor, preoperations, concrete operations, and formal operations.

What is probably the single most important influence on growth at all stages of development? a. Nutrition c. Culture b. Heredity d. Environment

ANS: A Nutrition is the single most important influence on growth. Dietary factors regulate growth at all stages of development, and their effects are exerted in numerous and complex ways. Adequate nutrition is closely related to good health throughout life. Heredity, culture, and environment all contribute to the child's growth and development; however, good nutrition is essential throughout the life span for optimal health.

Which term refers to those times in an individual's life when he or she is more susceptible to positive or negative influences? a. Sensitive period c. Terminal points b. Sequential period d. Differentiation points

ANS: A Sensitive periods are limited times during the process of growth when the organism will interact with a particular environment in a specific manner. These times make the organism more susceptible to positive or negative influences. The sequential period, terminal points, and differentiation points are developmental times that do not make the organism more susceptible to environmental interaction.

The head-to-tail direction of growth is referred to as: a. Cephalocaudal. c. Mass to specific. b. Proximodistal. d. Sequential.

ANS: A The first pattern of development is the head-to-tail, or cephalocaudal, direction. The head end of the organism develops first and is large and complex, whereas the lower end is smaller and simpler, and development takes place at a later time. Proximodistal, or near-to-far, is the second pattern of development. Limb buds develop before fingers and toes. Postnatally the child has control of the shoulder before achieving mastery of the hands. Mass to specific is not a specific pattern of development. In all dimensions of growth, a definite, sequential pattern is followed.

At what age do children tend to imitate the religious gestures and behaviors of others without understanding their significance? a. Toddlerhood c. Older school-age period b. Young school-age period d. Adolescence

ANS: A Toddlerhood is a time of imitative behavior. Children will copy the behavior of others without comprehending any significance or meaning to the activities. During the school-age period most children develop a strong interest in religion. The existence of a deity is accepted, and petitions to an omnipotent being are important. Although adolescents become more skeptical and uncertain about religious beliefs, they do understand the significance of religious rituals.

inform them that play serves the following function (Select all that apply): a. Intellectual development b. Physical development c. Self-awareness d. Creativity e. Temperament development

ANS: A, C, D A common statement is that play is the work of childhood. Intellectual development is enhanced through the manipulation and exploration of objects. Self-awareness is the process of developing a self-identity. This process is facilitated through play. In addition, creativity is developed through the experimentation characteristic of imaginative play. Physical development depends on many factors; play is not one of them. Temperament refers to behavioral tendencies that are observable from the time of birth. The actual behaviors but not the child's temperament attributes may be modified through play.

A nurse is preparing to administer a Denver II. Which statement(s) about the Denver II test is (are) accurate (Select all that apply)? a. All items intersected by the age line should be administered. b. There is no correction for a child born prematurely. c. The tool is an intelligence test. d. Toddlers and preschoolers should be prepared by presenting the test as a game. e. Presentation of the toys from the kit should be done one at a time.

ANS: A, D, E To identify "cautions," all items intersected by the age line are administered. Toddlers and preschoolers should be tested by presenting the Denver II as a game. Because children are easily distracted, perform each item quickly and present only one toy from the kit at a time. Before beginning the screening, ask whether the child was born preterm and correctly calculate the adjusted age. Up to 24 months of age, allowances are made for preterm infants by subtracting the number of weeks of missed gestation from their present age and testing them at the adjusted age. Explain to the parents and child, if appropriate, that the screenings are not intelligence tests but rather are a method of showing what the child can do at a particular age.

The nurse observes some children in the playroom. Which play situation exhibits the characteristics of parallel play? a. Kimberly and Amanda sharing clay to each make things b. Brian playing with his truck next to Kristina playing with her truck c. Adam playing a board game with Kyle, Steven, and Erich d. Danielle playing with a music box on her mother's lap

ANS: B An example of parallel play is when both children are engaged in similar activities in proximity to each other; however, they are each engaged in their own play, such as Brian and Kristina playing with their own trucks side by side. Sharing clay is characteristic of associative play. A group of children playing a board game is characteristic of cooperative play. Playing alone on the mother's lap is an example of solitary play.

By the time children reach their twelfth birthday, they should have learned to trust others and should have developed a sense of: a. Identity. c. Integrity. b. Industry. d. Intimacy.

ANS: B Industry is the developmental task of school-age children. By age 12 years, children engage in tasks that they can carry through to completion. They learn to compete and cooperate with others, and they learn rules. Identity versus role confusion is the developmental task of adolescence. Integrity and intimacy are not developmental tasks of childhood.

What is characteristic of the preoperational stage of cognitive development? a. Thinking is logical. c. Reasoning is inductive. b. Thinking is concrete. d. Generalizations can be made.

ANS: B Preoperational thinking is concrete and tangible. Children in this age group cannot reason beyond the observable, and they lack the ability to make deductions or generalizations. Increasingly logical thought, inductive reasoning, and the ability to make generalizations are characteristic of the concrete operations stage of development, ages 7 to 11 years.

How does the onset of the pubertal growth spurt compare in girls and boys? a. It occurs earlier in boys. b. It occurs earlier in girls. c. It is about the same in both boys and girls. d. In both boys and girls it depends on their growth in infancy.

ANS: B Usually, the pubertal growth spurt begins earlier in girls. It typically occurs between the ages of 10 and 14 years for girls and 11 and 16 years for boys. The average earliest age at onset is 1 year earlier for girls. There does not appear to be a relation to growth during infancy.

Frequent developmental assessments are important for which reason? a. Stable developmental periods during infancy provide an opportunity to identify any delays or deficits. b. Infants need stimulation specific to the stage of development. c. Critical periods of development occur during childhood. d. Child development is unpredictable and needs monitoring.

ANS: C Critical periods are blocks of time during which children are ready to master specific developmental tasks. The earlier that delays in development are discovered and intervention initiated, the less dramatic their effect will be. Infancy is a dynamic time of development that requires frequent evaluations to assess appropriate developmental progress. Infants in a nurturing environment will develop appropriately and will not necessarily need stimulation specific to their developmental stage. Normal growth and development are orderly and proceed in a predictable pattern on the basis of each individual's abilities and potentials.

Which behavior is most characteristic of the concrete operations stage of cognitive development? a. Progression from reflex activity to imitative behavior b. Inability to put oneself in another's place c. Increasingly logical and coherent thought processes d. Ability to think in abstract terms and draw logical conclusions

ANS: C During the concrete operations stage of development, which occurs approximately between ages 7 and 11 years, increasingly logical and coherent thought processes occur. This is characterized by the child's ability to classify, sort, order, and organize facts to use in problem solving. The progression from reflex activity to imitative behavior is characteristic of the sensorimotor stage of development. The inability to put oneself in another's place is characteristic of the preoperational stage of development. The ability to think in abstract terms and draw logical conclusions is characteristic of the formal operations stage of development.

In what type of play are children engaged in similar or identical activity without organization, division of labor, or mutual goal? a. Solitary c. Associative b. Parallel d. Cooperative

ANS: C In associative play no group goal is present. Each child acts according to his or her own wishes. Although the children may be involved in similar activities, no organization, division of labor, leadership assignment, or mutual goal exists. Solitary play describes children playing alone with toys different from those used by other children in the same area. Parallel play describes children playing independently but being among other children. Cooperative play is organized. Children play in a group with other children who play activities for a common goal.

By what age does birth length usually double? a. 1 year c. 4 years b. 2 years d. 6 years

ANS: C Linear growth or height occurs almost entirely as a result of skeletal growth and is considered a stable measurement of general growth. On average most children have doubled their birth length at age 4 years. One year and 2 years are too young for doubling of length.

The predominant characteristic of the intellectual development of the child ages 2 to 7 years is egocentricity. What best describes this concept? a. Selfishness c. Preferring to play alone b. Self-centeredness d. Inability to put self in another's place

ANS: D According to Piaget, this age child is in the preoperational stage of development. Children interpret objects and events not in terms of their general properties but in terms of their relationships or their use to them. This egocentrism does not allow children of this age to put themselves in another's place. Selfishness, self-centeredness, and preferring to play alone do not describe the concept of egocentricity.

A 13-year-old girl asks the nurse how much taller she will become. She has been growing about 2 inches per year but grew 4 inches this past year. Menarche recently occurred. The nurse should base her response on knowing that: a. Growth cannot be predicted. b. The pubertal growth spurt lasts about 1 year. c. Mature height is achieved when menarche occurs. d. Approximately 95% of mature height is achieved when menarche occurs.

ANS: D Although growth cannot be definitely predicted, at the time of the beginning of menstruation or the skeletal age of 13 years, most girls have grown to about 95% of their adult height. They may have some additional growth (5%) until the epiphyseal plates are closed. Responding that the pubertal growth spurt last about 1 year does not address the girl's question. Young women usually will grow approximately 5% more after the onset of menstruation.

An infant who weighs 7 pounds at birth would be expected to weigh how many pounds at age 1 year? a. 14 c. 18 b. 16 d. 21

ANS: D In general birth, weight triples by the end of the first year of life. For an infant who was 7 pounds at birth, 21 pounds would be the anticipated weight at the first birthday. Weights of 14, 16, and 18 pounds are less what would be expected for an infant with a birth weight of 7 pounds.

Three children playing a board game would be an example of: a. Solitary play c. Associative play b. Parallel play d. Cooperative play

ANS: D Using a board game requires cooperative play. The children must be able to play in a group and carry out the formal game. In solitary, parallel, and associative play, children do not play in a group with a common goal.

Match the sequence of cephalocaudal development that the nurse expects to find in the normal infant with the appropriate step numbers. Begin with the first development expected, sequencing to the final. a. Crawl d. Gain complete head control b. Sit unsupported e. Walk c. Lift head when prone 35. Step 1 36. Step 2 37. Step 3 38. Step 4 39. Step 5

STEP 1-C STEP 2-D STEP 3-B STEP 4-A STEP 5-A