PrepU Chapter 25: Growth and Development of the Newborn and Infant
The best way for an infant's parent to help the child complete the developmental task of the first year is to:
respond to the infant consistently.
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?
"Bottles given at bedtime can cause erosion of the enamel on the teeth."
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?"
A newborn requires skin care that includes bathing. Besides hygiene, what is another reason for bathing the newborn?
Bathing is a time for bonding with the parents.
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.
Infant development is best described by which statement?
Development proceeds cephalocaudally.
The nurse is assessing the 18-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.
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 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 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 (8825 g)
The infant weighs 7 lb 4 oz (3,300 g) at birth. If the infant is following a normal pattern of growth, what would be the expected weight for this child at the age of 12 months?
21 lb 12 oz
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.
The infant does not pay attention to noises behind him. The infant has frequent episodes of crossed eyes. The infant seems disinterested in the surrounding environment.
The nurse is providing anticipatory guidance to the parent of a 2-month-old infant in relation to growth and development. Which statement from the parent demonstrates proper understanding?
"I can expect my infant to be able to raise the head up when on the stomach within the next month."
A first-time mother, who is breastfeeding, phones the clinic nurse because she is concerned about her 3-month-old infant's stools. Which statement by the mother would alert the nurse to contact the health care provider?
"The stools are small and hard."
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 nurse is teaching the parents of a 6-month-old infant about proper dental care. Which action will the nurse indicate as most likely to cause dental caries in this infant?
putting the infant to bed with a bottle of milk or juice
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.
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 client who is breastfeeding asks the nurse if she can give the newborn a pacifier. Which nursing response is most appropriate?
"It is recommended to wait until breastfeeding is well-established before introducing a pacifier."
Which developmental milestone would the nurse expect an 11-month-old infant to have achieved?
Sitting independently
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
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 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?
weight of 16 lb (7300 g) and length of 26 in (66.0 cm)
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:
looking for a toy in her crib at the last place she saw it.
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
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.
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."
A new mother, when asked by a nurse, explains that her 4-month-old infant has been nursing regularly every 3 to 4 hours and seems satisfied. However, the mother recently introduced solid food in the form of unbuttered popcorn to the baby as a supplement, to "get her used to eating solid food." She felt that the popcorn would be safe because it is soft on the baby's gums. What should be the primary nursing diagnosis in this situation?
Risk for aspiration related to feeding the infant an inappropriate food
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."
