5,

10. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is examining a 12-month-old infant who was 6 weeks premature and observes that the infant uses a raking motion to pick up small objects. The PEDS questionnaire completed by the parent did not show significant developmental delays. What will the nurse practitioner do first? a. Perform an in-depth developmental assessment. b. Reassure the parent that this is normal for a premature infant. c. Refer the infant to a developmental specialist. d. Suggest activities to improve fine motor skills.

ANS: A When developmental screening indicates an infant is not progressing at the expected rate, additional testing to determine the degree of delay is necessary. A referral may be needed if a delay is determined. This is not normal for this degree of prematurity; infants should develop a pincer grasp by 9 to 10 months of age.

5. The mother of a 3-month-old child tells the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner that it is "so much fun" now that her infant coos and smiles and wants to play. What is important for the nurse practitioner to teach this mother? a. Appropriate ways to stimulate and entertain the infant b. How to read the infant's cues for overstimulation c. The importance of scheduling "play dates" with other infants d. To provide musical toys to engage the infant

ANS: B By 3 months, infants demonstrate a social smile and will become more active, alert, and responsive. Parents may mistakenly assume that the infant can handle more activity and stimulation when this occurs, and the PNP should teach caregivers how to recognize infant cues for the need to rest or to have decreased stimulation.

8. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a well child examination on a 9-month-old infant whose hearing is normal but who responds to verbal cues with only single syllable vocalizations. What will the nurse practitioner recommend to the parents to improve speech and language skills in this infant? a. Provide educational videos that focus on language. b. Read simple board books to the infant at bedtime. c. Sing to the child and play lullabies in the baby's room. d. Turn the television to Sesame Street during the day.

ANS: B The best way to improve language skills is to read to children. As long as the reading includes positive interactions with the baby and the reader, the baby is learning language. Educational videos, music, and television are all passive media and do not involve this interaction.

2. The parent of a newborn infant asks the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner when to intervene to help the infant's future intellectual growth. What will the nurse practitioner tell the parent? a. Cognitive learning begins during the toddler years. b. Intellectual growth begin when speech develops. c. Language and literacy skills begin at birth. d. Preschool is an optimal time to begin general learning.

ANS: C General learning and acquisition of skills for later reading and writing begin at birth, not in kindergarten or first grade, and these skills grow with everyday loving interactions between infants and caregivers. Cognitive learning changes during toddler years but begins at birth. Intellectual growth is not tied to speech alone.

6. The mother of a 6-month-old infant is distressed because the infant can say "dada" but not "mama" and asks the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner why this is when she is the one who spends more time with the infant. How will the nurse practitioner respond? a. "At this age, your baby does not understand the meaning of sounds." b. "Babies at this age cannot make the 'ma' sound." c. "Most sounds made by babies at this age are accidental." d. "This may mean that your baby doesn't hear well."

ANS: A At 6 months, infants delight in vocalizing sounds that they learn by imitation but do not ascribe meaning to the sounds they make. Infants can say "mama" but without meaning. Babies make sounds on purpose by imitating what they hear. A preference for one sound early in speech does not indicate a hearing deficit.

9. The parent of a 5-month-old is worried because the infant becomes fussy but doesn't always seem interested in nursing. What will the nurse practitioner tell this parent? a. The infant may be expressing a desire to play or to rest. b. The parent should give ibuprofen for teething pain before nursing. c. This is an indication that the infant is ready for solid foods. d. This may indicate gastrointestinal discomfort such as constipation

ANS: A At this age, infants may cry when they are tired or need social interaction and not just when they are hungry. The PNP should teach parents about this change in social development so they can be responsive to their infant's needs. Solid foods are not added until age 6 months. Teething usually does not begin until at least 6 months. GI discomfort usually occurs after eating.

3. During an assessment of a 4-week-old infant, the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner learns that a breastfed infant nurses every 2 hours during the day but is able to sleep for a 4-hour period during the night. The infant has gained 20 grams per day in the interval since last seen in the clinic. What will the nurse practitioner recommend? a. Continuing to nurse the infant using the current pattern b. Nursing the infant for longer periods every 4 hours c. Supplementing with formula at the last nighttime feeding d. Waking the infant every 2 hours to nurse during the night

ANS: A Infants who are encouraged to breastfeed every 2 to 3 hours may have one longer stretch of 4 hours at night. This infant is gaining between 0.5 and 1 gram per day, which is appropriate. It is not necessary to alter the pattern of nursing or to supplement with formula.

7. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a well baby examination on a 2-month-old infant who has gained 25 grams per day in the last interval. The mother is nursing and tells the nurse practitioner that her infant seems fussy and wants to nurse more often. What will the nurse practitioner tell her? a. She may not be making as much breastmilk as before. b. She should keep a log of the frequency and duration of each feeding. c. The infant may be going through an expected growth spurt. d. The infant should stay on the previously established nursing schedule.

ANS: C Infants may have a growth spurt at 6 to 8 weeks, and mothers who are breastfeeding may be concerned that they are not making enough milk when they notice that the infant is fussy and wanting to nurse more often. The PNP should reassure the mother that this is expected. It is not necessary, since the infant is gaining weight appropriately, for the mother to keep a log. The mother should follow the infant's cues for feeding since the extra suckling will increase the milk supply to meet the growing infant's needs.

1. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner performs a well baby examination on a 7-day-old infant who is nursing well, according to the mother. The nurse practitioner notes that the infant weighed 3250 grams at birth and 2990 grams when discharged on the second day of life. The infant weighs 3080 grams at this visit. Which action is correct? a. Follow up at the 2-month checkup. b. Refer to a lactation consultant. c. Schedule a weight check in 1 week. d. Suggest supplementing with formula.

ANS: C This infant lost about 8% of its birth weight, which is normal and, since discharge home, has gained at least 15 grams per day, which is also normal. The PNP should schedule a weight check in a week to make sure the infant regains its birth weight, since most should regain this in 10 to 14 days and since this loss of birth weight is at the high end of normal. It is not necessary to refer to a lactation consultant or supplement with formula, since the infant is gaining weight adequately.

4. The mother of a 6-week-old breastfeeding infant tells the primary care pediatric nurse practitioner that her baby, who previously had bowel movements with each feeding, now has a bowel movement once every third day. What will the nurse practitioner tell her? a. Her baby is probably constipated. b. It may be related to her dietary intake. c. She should consume more water. d. This may be normal for breastfed babies.

ANS: D Infants begin to have fewer bowel movements and may have bowel movements ranging from once or twice daily to once every other day when breastfed. Unless there are other signs, the baby is probably not constipated. The mother does not need to change her intake of foods or water, unless constipation is present.