Chapter 25 growth and development of the newborn and infant

A mother asks the nurse where the microwave is so that she can warm up breast milk to feed her baby. What is the best response by the nurse?

"You should warm the milk under warm water instead."

The parent of 1-week-old infant voices concerns about the infant's weight loss since birth. At birth the infant weighed 7 lb (3.2 kg); the infant currently weighs 6 lb 5 oz (2.9 kg). Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

"Your infant's weight loss is within the expected range."

Which milestone would the nurse expect an infant to accomplish by 8 months of age?

Sitting without support

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?

the development of a 3-month-old

A 3-month-old infant has a Moro reflex. Which statement is most true of this reflex?

Infant may retain the Moro reflex at 3 month old; it fades between 2 and 4 months.

The nurse in a community clinic is assessing a 2-month-old infant. The parent asks if the infant is developing normally. The nurse refers to which finding as suggestive of normal development in infants from birth to 2 months of age?

The infant raises head and chest while on stomach.

The nurse is assessing the neurological status of a 10-month-old infant. Which finding(s) does the nurse determine to be abnormal when performing this assessment? Select all that apply.

The infant turns to the right side, searching with mouth, when the right side of the cheek is stroked. The infant demonstrates reflexive sucking when nipple or finger is placed in infant's mouth. The infant reflexively grasps when the nurse touches the palm. With sudden extension of the infant's head, the arms abduct and move upward and the hands form a "C".

The nurse is performing an assessment on a 8-month-old infant. The infant's medical history notes that he was born at 32 weeks' gestation. The infant is progressing normally. At what adjusted age should the nurse expect the infant's developmental accomplishments?

The infant will most likely present with developmental skills consistent with a 6-month-old infant

Anticipatory guidance for an infant for the 4th month should include the fact that the infant will be able to achieve which developmental milestone?

be able to turn over onto the back

An infant is breastfed. When assessing the stools, which findings would be typical?

Less constipation than bottle-fed infants

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?

They put her to bed when she falls asleep

When performing neurological reflexes on the infant, which primitive reflex will be present longest?

Babinski

The infant weighs 6 lb 8 oz (2,950 g) at birth. If the infant is following a normal pattern of growth, what would be an expected weight for this child at the age of 12 months?

19 lb 8 oz

Which activity will the nurse encourage new parents to complete in order to assist their infant in accomplishing Erikson's developmental task for the first year of life?

Respond promptly when the infant cries.

During the first visit to the pediatrician's practice the nurse is performing an admission interview and assessment of a 4-week-old infant. The mother states, "I am sure my baby girl knows my smell because she is much more settled in my arms rather than my mother's arms when she is upset." What is an appropriate response by the nurse?

You may be right, since infants can sense their mother's smell as early as 7 days old."

A 9-month-old has been brought to the clinic for a well-child visit. The mother reports her son was born 6 weeks prematurely. During the data collection, the child's mother reports her son seems to be a few months "behind" what she recalls from her older children. What is the best response by the nurse?

"Delays are normal when a child is premature."

The parents of an 8-month-old boy voice concern to the nurse that their child is not developing motor skills as he should. What question would be appropriate for the nurse to ask in determining if their fears are warranted?

"Does he move a toy back and forth from one hand to the other when you give it to him?"

The nurse is providing a nutrition workshop for the parents of infants. The nurse understands that further instruction is required when hearing which comments from the parents? Select all that apply.

"Food is so expensive. I can't afford for my child to leave any food on the plate." "I have tried at least 10 times with every green vegetable and I can't get my son to like them." "I let my child eat whatever he wants right now so that we don't argue about food. Hopefully he will like healthy foods when he grows up."

The nurse is reinforcing teaching with a group of caregivers related to the nutritional needs of the infant. One caregiver asks why the 6-month-old infant needs to have solid foods when breast milk is such a good source of nutrition. What would be the best response by the nurse?

"Milk will not fully provide the child's needs for iron, which is found in solid foods."

The nurse is interacting with several parents of infants. Which parent statement would alert the nurse to refer the infant for further evaluation by the health care provider?

"My 9-month-old infant is beginning to track objects when we show her favorite objects."

The nurse comes into an infant's room on the pediatric floor. The nurse wants to try to feed the infant for the first time since her surgery. How does the nurse know what state the infant is in by what the mother says, and that it's fine to try and feed the infant?

"She has been a chatterbox and smiles just like her brother."

What information would the nurse include when teaching the parents of an infant about colic?

Colic symptoms will probably fade at 3 months of age.

The nurse is assessing the oral cavity of a 6-month-old child. When palpating the location in which the first primary teeth erupt, which location is being assessed?

lower central gumline

The nurse conducting a 6-month well-baby check-up assesses for the presence/absence of the asymmetric tonic neck reflex. At this age the reflex:

should have disappeared.

The nurse is assessing a 1-year-old at the well-child annual visit and notes the child is meeting the growth parameters. After noting the birth weight was 8 pounds (3.6 kg) and length was 20 inches (50.8 cm) long, which measurements reflecting height/weight would the nurse expect to document for this visit?

24 pounds (10.8 kg) and 30 inches (75 cm)

What is the correct amount of wet diapers a mature infant should produce each day?

An infant should have 6 to 8 wet diapers/day.

The nurse is assessing the 10-month-old infant. The nurse notes the anterior fontanel (fontanelle) has closed. What initial action by the nurse is indicated?

Document the findings as normal.

A new mother reports that she is exhausted and that the little sleep she gets is determined by her baby. Which suggestion should the nurse prioritize to help the mother establish healthy sleeping patterns in her infant?

Use the crib for sleeping only, not for play activities.

Which developmental milestone would the nurse expect an 11-month-old infant to have achieved?

Sitting independently

The mother of a 1-month-old infant voices concern about her baby's respirations. She states they are rapid and irregular. Which information should the nurse provide?

The respirations of a 1-month-old infant are normally irregular and periodically pause

The nurse is providing client education to the parent about bathing the infant. What would be important to instruct the parent?

Bath time provides an opportunity for play

The father of a 6-week-old infant voices concerns about his son's stooling. He further shares that his son grunts and cries when having a bowel movement. What response by the nurse is most appropriate?

"What does his stool look like?

The nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of nutrition counseling for new mothers. Which comments by the mothers indicate the need for more instruction? Select all that apply.

"No-spill sippy cups are a good way to limit the amount of juice that comes into contact with the baby's teeth." "It is much healthier if I puree my own baby food and add a very small amount of salt to make it taste better

The student nurse is reviewing the chart of a newborn. The document indicates the newborn is in the quiet alert state. Which is the best description of this sleep phase?

The newborn's eyes are open and no body movements are noted.

The nurse in a pediatric clinic is reviewing the chart of an infant who is 12 months old. The infant weighed 8 lb 3 oz (3720 g) at birth. What does the nurse anticipate the infant's weight to be in kilograms if the infant meets normal growth expectations? Record your answer using one decimal place.

11.2

What action shows an example of Erik Erikson's developmental task for the infant?

The infant cries and the caregiver picks the child up.

The nurse is educating the mother of a newborn about feeding practices. The nurse correctly advises the mother that:

the newborn's stomach can hold between 0.5 oz and 1 oz.

Two parents who have financial issues ask the nurse if a borrowed crib would be okay to use for their new twin boys. Which response should the nurse use in educating the parents?

"You can use the crib, but there are guidelines to follow."

The parent of a 3-month-old infant is concerned because the infant does not yet sit by oneself. Which statement best reflects average sitting ability?

Most infants do not sit steadily until 8 months; this infant is normal.

The nurse is teaching the mother of a 5-month-old boy who is concerned about thumb sucking. What should be included in the teaching plan? Select all that apply.

Advising the mother this behavior is a form of self-comfort Assuring the mother this behavior won't cause malocclusion Informing the mother that thumb sucking occurs more often during periods of stress Telling the mother this behavior usually decreases by 6 to 9 months of age

The student nurse is reviewing the records of a pediatric client. Which statement about the client's progress indicates the need for further instruction?

"Maturation refers to the child's increases in body size."