The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is examining a 3-year-old child who speaks loudly, in a monotone, does not make eye contact, and prefers to sit on the exam room floor moving a toy truck back and forth in a repetitive manner. Which disorder does the nurse practitioner suspect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The child's symptoms are consistent with those of autism spectrum disorder, including social communication deficits (speaking loudly, in a monotone, does not make eye contact), and restrictive/repetitive patterns of behavior (prefers to sit on the floor moving a toy truck back and forth in a repetitive manner). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can present with hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity, but the child's current symptoms do not suggest this diagnosis. Executive function disorder is a group of cognitive processes that involve attentional control, inhibitory control, and working memory, among others, and is not typically diagnosed in young children. Sensory processing disorder is a condition where an individual has difficulty processing sensory information and can present with hyper- or hyposensitivity to sensory input, but this diagnosis is not indicated by the symptoms described in this case.

The Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Is Examining a 3-Year-Old