PrepU Ch. 3: Growth & Development of the Newborn & Infant

A parent takes the 4-month-old infant to the health care provider. The parent asks what type of baby cereal to provide now that the infant is starting solid foods. How should the nurse respond? A) "You should buy barley cereal." B) "You should buy wheat cereal." C) "You should buy oat cereal." D) "You should buy rice cereal."

D) "You should buy rice cereal."

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? A) The irregularity of the infant's respirations are concerning; I will notify the physician. B) The normal respiratory rate for an infant at this age is between 20 and 30 breaths per minute. C) The respirations of a 1-month-old infant are normally irregular and periodically pause. D) An infant at this age should have regular respirations.

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

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? A) The infant laughs aloud and responds to name. B) The infant stays seated in the tripod position. C) The infant transfers objects from one hand to the other. D) The infant raises head and chest while on stomach.

D) The infant raises head and chest while on stomach.

The nurse is examining an 8-month-old girl for appropriate development during a regular check-up. Which observation points to a developmental risk? A) Crawls with stomach down B) Picks up small objects using entire hand C) Cannot pull self to standing D) Uses only the left hand to grasp

D) Uses only the left hand to grasp

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? A) 19 lb 8 oz (8825 g) B) 10 lb 8 oz (4760 g) C) 15 lb 4 oz (6920 g) D) 13 lb (5900 g)

A) 19 lb 8 oz (8825 g) The average newborn weighs 7.5 lb (3400 g). The average newborn loses 10% of birth weight over the first week of life but regains it in about 10 to 14 days. Most infants double their birth weight by 4 to 6 months of age and triple their birth weight by the time they are 1 year old. If the newborn weighed 6 lb 8 oz (2,950 g) at birth and tripled that weight at 12 months, the infant should weigh 19 lb 8 oz (6.5 lb × 3 = 19.5 lb) or 8825 g.

The nurse is assessing an infant at the 6-month well-baby check-up. The nurse notes that at birth the baby weighed 8 lb (3600 g) and was 20 in (50.8 cm) in length. Which finding is consistent with the normal infant growth and development? A) weight of 14 lb (6400 g) and length of 24 in (61.0 cm) B) weight of 18 lb (8200 g) and length of 28 in (71.1 cm) C) weight of 20 lb (9100 g) and length of 30 in (76.2 cm) D) weight of 16 lb (7300 g) and length of 26 in (66.0 cm)

D) weight of 16 lb (7300 g) and length of 26 in (66.0 cm)

The mother of an infant is confused after being told by her dentist not to let her baby go to bed with a bottle of milk. She does not agree with that suggestion. Which response should the nurse prioritize when addressing this situation with the mother? A) "Giving your baby a pacifier at bedtime will satisfy the need to suck." B) "Bottles given at bedtime can cause erosion of the enamel on the teeth." C) "Giving a bottle of milk when the infant goes to bed can lead to obesity." D) "You could occasionally give your baby a bottle of water at bedtime."

B) "Bottles given at bedtime can cause erosion of the enamel on the teeth."

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? A) "Your infant has lost a bit more than the normal amount." B) "Your infant's weight loss is within the expected range." C) "All infants lose a substantial amount of weight after birth." D) "Your infant has lost too much weight and may need to be hospitalized."

B) "Your infant's weight loss is within the expected range." The normal newborn may lose up to 10% of birth weight. This infant has lost 9.1%. This degree of weight loss will likely not require hospitalization. Expressing to the parent that the infant may be hospitalized is rash and will most likely not occur.

What information would the nurse include when teaching the parents of an infant about colic? A) Colic symptoms will probably fade at 3 months of age. B) Formula intake should be doubled to keep the infant from losing weight. C) Symptoms will decrease if the infant is laid on the back after feedings. D) The infant will need future follow-up for a "nervous" bowel.

A) Colic symptoms will probably fade at 3 months of age.

The nurse is completing a developmental assessment on a 6-month-old infant. Which findings indicate the need for additional follow-up? Select all that apply. A) The infant has frequent episodes of crossed eyes. B) The infant seems disinterested in the surrounding environment. C) The infant does not pay attention to noises behind him. D) The infant is unable string together 2 word sentences. The infant babbles.

A) The infant has frequent episodes of crossed eyes. B) The infant seems disinterested in the surrounding environment. C) The infant does not pay attention to noises behind him.

The nurse is making a home visit and observes the 7-month-old pulling the family dog's hair and ears. Which parenting skill does the nurse determine is most effective? A) The parent tells the child "no" with a stern voice and pulls the child's hand away from the dog B) The parent spanks the child while taking the child into another room away from the dog C) The parent allows the child to continue pulling at the dog and states, "If the dog bites her she will learn." D) The parent places the child in time-out and explains the reason for the time-out

A) The parent tells the child "no" with a stern voice and pulls the child's hand away from the dog

A staff nurse is talking about Piaget's theory with a nursing student. Infants are in the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development during which object permanence is mastered. An example of an infant displaying this ability is: A) looking for a toy in her crib at the last place she saw it. B) pushing a spoon from her high chair tray to the floor. C) smiling at herself in the mirror. D) shaking a rattle to enjoy the sound.

A) looking for a toy in her crib at the last place she saw it.

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? A) "What does his stool look like?" B) "We will need to collect a stool specimen for analysis." C) "Is he in pain?" D) "Grunting is normal with infant stool formation."

A) "What does his stool look like?" Grunting, crying and straining during bowel movements by infants and newborns is normal. This is due to the immaturity of the gastrointestinal system. The most important thing to do initially is to determine the appearance of the stool. The grunts and cries are not of concern unless the stool is dry and hard, so asking about the characteristics is the initial response. Simply indicating this is normal without having additional information is not the appropriate response. There is no need for a stool specimen based upon the information provided.