Chapter 18 - Care of a School Age Child
The parents of a first grader ask the nurse for guidance in helping to promote success for their child in school and with his homework. Which suggestion would the nurse provide to help the parents meet that goal? Select all that apply
- Try setting up a specific time for homework to be done." - "Provide assistance but avoid doing the homework for your child." - "Be sure that the area for homework is quiet and without distractions."
Typical development for the school-aged child includes playing games with friends. At what age are children typically ready for games that include playing on a team that has a winner or loser?
10 years
The mother and her 8-year-old daughter come to the clinic for a well-child visit. The mother asks the nurse, "About how much sleep should my daughter be getting?" The nurse responds by saying:
10-12 hours.
The nurse is evaluating the diet of a 9-year-old boy who is fairly active. The nurse determines that the child's nutritional intake is adequate based on the understanding that this child needs how many calories per day?
2000
What finding would the nurse most likely discover in a 10-year-old child in the period of concrete operational thought?
Ability to classify similar objects
The nurse is auscultating the lungs of a lethargic, irritable 6-year-old boy and hears wheezing. The nurse will most likely include which teaching point if the child is suspected of having asthma?
"I'm going to have this hospital worker take a picture of your lungs."
The nurse has determined that an 8-year-old girl is at risk for being overweight. Which intervention would be a priority prior to developing the care plan?
Interviewing the parents about their eating habits
What teaching points would a nurse provide for families of school-aged children to help prevent substance abuse? Select all that apply.
- Set firm rules regarding alcohol and other drug usage and discuss consequences associated with breaking the rules. - Encourage decision-making and discuss family values. - Give the child "what if" examples to situations they may face.
A nurse is assisting with a seat belt clinic at a local community center. Which parents should the nurse speak with after inspecting their seat belt use? Select all that apply.
- the parents of a 10-year-old whose child is sitting in the front seat with the seat belt properly fastened - the parents of a 6-year-old who has the shoulder belt behind the back due to the strap lying across the face
The nurse is performing an annual check-up for an 8-year-old child. Compared to the previous assessment of this child, which characteristic would most likely be observed?
Breathing is diaphragmatic.
The school nurse is teaching parents about the effects of bullying on school children. What accurately describes this developmental concern?
Both boys and girls are bullied; boys usually bully boys and use force more often.
The nurse is talking with the parents of an 8-year-old child who has been cheating at school. Which comment by the nurse would be appropriate as a first step?
"Be sure the adults in the child's life, including you, as parents, demonstrate positive behavior."
The mother of a 6-year-old is asking the nurse how to handle the child's lying and fabricated stories when confronted with questionable actions. Which response would be most appropriate by the nurse?
"Children this age sometimes can't distinguish between fantasy and reality."
The nurse is preparing to administer an antibiotic injection to a 6-year-old child who is developmentally delayed. The parent is concerned because the child typically does not respond well to pain. The parent asks the nurse why the child reacts this way. What is the best response by the nurse?
"Children who are developmentally delayed often do not know how to respond to pain."
The nurse is preparing a presentation for a community health fair on the topic of helping school-aged children develop the self-confidence they will need to mature into responsible adults. Which suggestion should the nurse prioritize to caregivers to enable them to help their children in this area?
Caregivers should maintain consistent rules and expectations.
When providing anticipatory guidance to a group of parents with school-aged children, what would the nurse describe as the most important aspect of social interaction?
Peer Relationships
The school nurse is reviewing the chart of a 12-year-old student who has had excessive absences due respiratory infections. What is the best action by the nurse?
Speak with the parents about the unusual increased number of respiratory infections
A mother is concerned that a 7-year-old child has taken money from a sibling's dresser several times. What should the nurse advise the mother about this behavior?
The child needs to be reminded of property rights.
A school-aged child develops school phobia. When counseling her mother, the nurse would advise her that the accepted action is to:
make her child attend school every day
The mother of a 12-year-old boy is talking with the school nurse about her son's clumsiness. She reports that he seems to fall a lot, his writing is horrible, and as much as he practices he can't play his guitar very well. How should the nurse respond to the mother?
"Have you spoken with your pediatrician about your observations?"
The nurse is teaching a group of school-aged children about physical development. Which statement made by one of the children indicates the correct understanding of the teaching?
"Girls typically experience a rapid growth spurt before boys."
The school nurse is the guest speaker in a classroom of fourth-grade children, and they are discussing eating habits and the number of servings from each of the food groups that is appropriate for the school-age child. Which of the following statements made by the children best indicates an appropriate intake of one of the food groups for this age child?
"I drink three big glasses of milk each day."
The mother of a 9-year-old female voices concern to the nurse about her daughter developing breasts "at such a young age." How should the nurse respond?
"I understand your concern, but girls typically enter puberty around the age of 9 or 10."
The nurse is teaching a group of school-age children about physical development. Which statement made by one of the children indicates the correct understanding of the teaching?
"I will grow an average of 2.5 in (6.5 cm) per year."
During a health history assessment, the mother of a 10-year-old girl tells you that her daughter does not have time to "play" because she is busy going to gymnastics, cheerleading, art class, flute lessons, reading club, and soccer. What should the nurse's response be?
"Play helps children to develop cognitively, socially, physically, and emotionally."
The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old child. During the course of a routine wellness examination, the parent proudly reports that the child eats whatever the parent puts on the plate. The nurse wants to emphasize the importance of allowing the child to make some choices regarding the types of foods eaten. How should the nurse communicate this to the parent?
"Now is the time to let your child choose some of the meals."
The nurse is caring for a 10-year-old girl and is trying to obtain clues about the child's state of physical, emotional, and moral development. Which question is most likely to elicit the desired information?
"Tell me about your favorite activity at school?"
The nurse is caring for a 9-year-old boy with episodes of chronic pain. The nurse is educating the parents how to help the child manage pain nonpharmacologically. Which statement indicates a need for further teaching?
"We should start the method after he feels pain."
A parent brings a 6-year-old to the clinic and informs the nurse that the child is tired all the time even though the child sleeps 7 to 8 hours each night. What is the best response by the nurse?
"Your child should be getting 11 to 12 hours of sleep per night with some quiet time after school."
A hospitalized 7-year-old is recovering from a head injury. Occupational therapy has been ordered to assist the child in regaining eye/hand coordination. If the child cannot master this skill, what feelings may arise?
A feeling of inferiority
From 6 to 12 years of age, an increase of ____ per year in weight is expected.
7 lb
The nurse is conducting a health history for a 9-year-old child with stomach pains. What is a recommended guideline when approaching the child for information?
Allow the child to control the pace and order of the health history.
The nurse is promoting the benefits of achieving a healthy weight to an overweight 12-year-old child and her parents. Which approach is best?
Ask what activities she enjoys such as dance or sports.
The nurse is teaching parents of an 11-year-old child how to deal with the issue of peer pressure regarding the use of tobacco and alcohol. Which suggestion by the nurse provides the best course of action for the parents?
Discuss tobacco and alcohol use and effects with the child
The nurse is providing education to the parents of a school-aged child. Which information would the nurse include in the teaching plan?
Discussion of the importance of proper use and fit of a helmet for bike riding
An 8-year-old boy's foster mother is concerned about three recent cavities found in his permanent teeth and reports the child eats a nutritional diet, doesn't eat junk food, and the town water supply is fluoridated. Which suggestion should the nurse prioritize to this mother in regard to the child's dental health?
Ensure that the child brushes his teeth after each meal and snacks.
What foods could a parent provide that would be the most beneficial to support healthy dentition for a school-aged child?
Fish, spinach salad and a glass of milk
An 8-year-old boy who says he wants to be a doctor when he grows up pleads with the nurse to let him put on his own band-aid after receiving an injection. The nurse agrees and watches as the boy very carefully lines the band-aid up with the mark left by the injection and applies it to his skin. Then he asks, "Did I do it right?" and waits eagerly for the nurse's feedback. The nurse recognizes in this situation the boy's attempt to master the primary developmental step of school age. What is that step?
Industry
When describing play by the school-aged child to a group of nursing students, the instructor would emphasize the need for which of the following?
Play
A nurse is administering ear drops to a 7-year-old girl. What should the nurse do?
Pull the pinna of the ear up and back to straighten the external ear canal.
The mother of a 13-year-old girl reports she is concerned her daughter is being bullied. What behaviors support the parent's suspicion? Select all that apply.
Reports of frequent headachesComplaints of stomachachesReports feeling "sad or down"
A parent has brought the child into the clinic for a routine health assessment. The parent asks when routine screening for back symmetry will begin. Which response by the nurse is mostaccurate?
School Age
The nurse knows that the school-age child is in Erikson's stage of industry versus inferiority. Which best examplifies a school-ager working toward accomplishing this developmental task?
The child signs up for after-school activities.
The nurse caring for a hospitalized 8-year-old child recognizes that the child has developed an understanding of reversibility. Which of the following relates to the development of this understanding?
The child understands that their illness is probably only temporary
The parents of a 9-year-old child voice concern that the child seems to be gaining weight rapidly. The nurse reviews the medical record and notes the child has increased weight by 6 or 7 lb (2.7 to 3.2 kg) per year for the past 2 years. What response by the nurse is indicated?
Weight gains of about 7 lb (3.2 kg) per year are normal for children in this age range."
A nurse is discussing ways parents can foster the development of self-confidence in their school-aged child. Which action if stated by the parents would lead the nurse to continue the discussion?
comparing the child to an older sibling regarding academic achievements
While observing a group of 9-year-old children at school, the nurse is concerned that one of the children is not cognitively developing according to Piaget's stage of concrete-operational thought processes. With which activity is the nurse concerned?
does not understand the phrase "slow as molasses" when used by the teacher
During a health promotion seminar with community members, the nurse provides information to support the 2020 National Health Goal to prevent and reduce the incidence of infectious disease in children. What information did the nurse most likely provide?
importance of maintaining appropriate immunizations
Erikson's developmental task for school age child is
industry versus inferiority
A mother tells the nurse she is having difficulty getting her 6-year-old to do chores. Based on the child's developmental level, what activity would be best for the nurse to recommend to the mother?
putting books on shelf
