The nurse is assessing an 8-month-old client during a well-child visit. Which assessment finding should the nurse report to the health care provider?

Question

The nurse is assessing an 8-month-old client during a well-child visit.  Which assessment finding should the nurse report to the health care provider?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Infants and children undergo rapid physical, sensory, and cognitive development in relatively uniform patterns based on age. Failure to achieve expected milestones may be an early indicator of a chronic medical condition. Head and neck strength are critical assessments in an infant. In general, infants display head lag (ie, head falling behind the shoulders when raised from a supine to a seated position) from birth through age 4-6 months. Head lag remaining after age 6 months is an abnormal finding often associated with cerebral palsy or autism (Option C). (Option A) An infant age 6 to 7 months may start responding to their name by turning toward the sound when spoken. An infant may not speak first words with meaning (eg, mamma, dada) until approximately age 9-11 months. (Option B) During the first 6 months, infants should grow 5-7 oz (140-196 g) per week. From age 6-12 months, infants should grow 3-5 oz (84-140 g) per week. (Option D) The posterior fontanel is a membrane-filled space between the parietal and occipital bones that normally closes by age 2 months. Therefore, the posterior fontanel should not be palpable in an infant age 8 months. Educational objective: After age 6 months, infants should not exhibit head lag when raised from a supine to a seated position. An infant may not speak first words with meaning (eg, mamma, dada) until approximately age 9-11 months. Infant weight gain decreases after age 6 months, from 5-7 oz (140-196 g) to 3-5 oz (84-140 g) per week.

The Nurse Is Assessing an 8-Month-Old Client During a Well-Child