Latasha is a breastfed infant being seen in the clinic for her 6-month checkup. Her mother tells the nurse that she recently began to suck her thumb. The best nursing intervention is to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sucking is an infant's chief pleasure,and she may not be satisfied by bottle-feeding or breastfeeding alone. During infancy and early childhood there is no need to restrict nonnutritive sucking. Dental damage does not appear to occur unless the use of the pacifier or finger persists after age 4 to 6 years. The nurse should explore with the mother her feelings about pacifier vs. thumb. This is a normal behavior to meet nonnutritive sucking needs. No data support that Latasha has sensory deprivation.

Latasha Is a Breastfed Infant Being Seen in the Clinic