PEDIATRIC PRACTICE EXAM QUESTIONS
AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS 2026
▶ A nurse in the daycare center is teaching several aides about the play
behavior of 2-year-old toddlers. What is this type of play called? Answer:
*Parallel*: Toddlers play independently but beside other children; they are
aware of the other children, often grabbing toys from them, but do not
socially interact with them.
▶ Elbow restraints are prescribed for an 18-month-old toddler who just had
surgery for a cleft palate. The nurse explains to the parents that the
restraints are used to keep the child from doing what? Answer: The suture
lines in the mouth must be protected. Because the toddler uses the mouth
to explore the environment, elbow restraints are needed to keep the child
from placing fingers or objects in the mouth.
▶ During which health maintenance visit for a toddler-age client should the
nurse assess the ability to throw a ball overhand without losing balance?
Answer: 18mos
▶ While obtaining the health history of a 15-month-old toddler, the child of
a migrant worker, a nurse learns that the infant recently had a fever, runny
nose, cough, and white spots in the mouth lasting 3 days. A rash started on
the face and spread to the whole body. What communicable disease does
the nurse suspect the infant suffered from? Answer: White spots in the
mouth (Koplik spots) and the rash, combined with increased mucus
secretions (coryza), are indicative of measles *(rubeola)*.
,▶ The nurse discusses discipline with parents of a 4-year-old child. Which
parental statement regarding time-out reflects an appropriate application of
this method of discipline? Answer: Explaining the reason for the time-out
before and after reinforces the child's association of the time-out with the
undesirable behavior, allowing the child to work to control those behaviors.
▶ The nurse is caring for a young child diagnosed with lead poisoning.
Which finding indicates that the client has suffered from high-dose
exposure to lead? Answer: Blindness indicates that the client is suffering
from encephalopathy as a result of high-dose exposure to lead.
▶ The nurse is providing education to the parents of a preschool-age client
who is experiencing a severe fear of the dark. Which treatment option
should the nurse share with the parents during the teaching session?
Answer: Repetition of brave statements
▶ A 3-year-old child is admitted to the pediatric unit with a tentative
diagnosis of Wilms tumor. The nurse obtains the child's health history from
the parents. What does the child's history reveal that will help establish the
diagnosis? Answer: *abdominal swelling*
Wilms tumor is a nephroblastoma that is first observed as a firm, painless
intraabdominal mass located on one side of the abdomen.
▶ What change is seen when a child enters from a stage of toddlerhood to
the stage of preschooler? Answer: Preschoolers get into the habit of
extending bedtimes.
▶ At which age would the nurse anticipate the appearance of an imaginary
friend for a preschool-age client? Answer: Imaginary friends typically
, appear by 3 years of age and can last throughout the preschool stage of
development. If an imaginary friend has not appeared by this age, it is
unlikely to expect this to surface at 4, 5, or 6 years of age.
▶ After a tonsillectomy, which finding alerts the nurse to suspect the initial
stage of hemorrhage? Answer: Blood seeping from the surgical site drains
into the oral cavity, causing the child to *swallow*. Snoring is to be
expected after a tonsillectomy because of edema.
▶ What is the required average daily intake of calories in preschoolers?
Answer: 1800
▶ A nurse educates a group of parents about how to teach their children to
safely cross roads and walk in parking lots. Which age group of the children
is the nurse referring to? Answer: Preschoolers
▶ Which type of language development is seen in 4-year-olds? Answer:
knows simple songs
▶ An adolescent visits the allergy clinic because of seasonal environmental
allergies, and blood is drawn for testing. Which laboratory finding indicates
to the nurse that an allergic response is in progress? Answer: Increased
eosinophil level
▶ Pulse oximetry is prescribed for an adolescent. What should the nurse
do to ensure accuracy of the pulse oximeter reading? Answer: Capillary
beds are closest to the surface in a *finger or earlobe*; this proximity
permits more accurate measurement of arterial oxygen saturation.
AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS 2026
▶ A nurse in the daycare center is teaching several aides about the play
behavior of 2-year-old toddlers. What is this type of play called? Answer:
*Parallel*: Toddlers play independently but beside other children; they are
aware of the other children, often grabbing toys from them, but do not
socially interact with them.
▶ Elbow restraints are prescribed for an 18-month-old toddler who just had
surgery for a cleft palate. The nurse explains to the parents that the
restraints are used to keep the child from doing what? Answer: The suture
lines in the mouth must be protected. Because the toddler uses the mouth
to explore the environment, elbow restraints are needed to keep the child
from placing fingers or objects in the mouth.
▶ During which health maintenance visit for a toddler-age client should the
nurse assess the ability to throw a ball overhand without losing balance?
Answer: 18mos
▶ While obtaining the health history of a 15-month-old toddler, the child of
a migrant worker, a nurse learns that the infant recently had a fever, runny
nose, cough, and white spots in the mouth lasting 3 days. A rash started on
the face and spread to the whole body. What communicable disease does
the nurse suspect the infant suffered from? Answer: White spots in the
mouth (Koplik spots) and the rash, combined with increased mucus
secretions (coryza), are indicative of measles *(rubeola)*.
,▶ The nurse discusses discipline with parents of a 4-year-old child. Which
parental statement regarding time-out reflects an appropriate application of
this method of discipline? Answer: Explaining the reason for the time-out
before and after reinforces the child's association of the time-out with the
undesirable behavior, allowing the child to work to control those behaviors.
▶ The nurse is caring for a young child diagnosed with lead poisoning.
Which finding indicates that the client has suffered from high-dose
exposure to lead? Answer: Blindness indicates that the client is suffering
from encephalopathy as a result of high-dose exposure to lead.
▶ The nurse is providing education to the parents of a preschool-age client
who is experiencing a severe fear of the dark. Which treatment option
should the nurse share with the parents during the teaching session?
Answer: Repetition of brave statements
▶ A 3-year-old child is admitted to the pediatric unit with a tentative
diagnosis of Wilms tumor. The nurse obtains the child's health history from
the parents. What does the child's history reveal that will help establish the
diagnosis? Answer: *abdominal swelling*
Wilms tumor is a nephroblastoma that is first observed as a firm, painless
intraabdominal mass located on one side of the abdomen.
▶ What change is seen when a child enters from a stage of toddlerhood to
the stage of preschooler? Answer: Preschoolers get into the habit of
extending bedtimes.
▶ At which age would the nurse anticipate the appearance of an imaginary
friend for a preschool-age client? Answer: Imaginary friends typically
, appear by 3 years of age and can last throughout the preschool stage of
development. If an imaginary friend has not appeared by this age, it is
unlikely to expect this to surface at 4, 5, or 6 years of age.
▶ After a tonsillectomy, which finding alerts the nurse to suspect the initial
stage of hemorrhage? Answer: Blood seeping from the surgical site drains
into the oral cavity, causing the child to *swallow*. Snoring is to be
expected after a tonsillectomy because of edema.
▶ What is the required average daily intake of calories in preschoolers?
Answer: 1800
▶ A nurse educates a group of parents about how to teach their children to
safely cross roads and walk in parking lots. Which age group of the children
is the nurse referring to? Answer: Preschoolers
▶ Which type of language development is seen in 4-year-olds? Answer:
knows simple songs
▶ An adolescent visits the allergy clinic because of seasonal environmental
allergies, and blood is drawn for testing. Which laboratory finding indicates
to the nurse that an allergic response is in progress? Answer: Increased
eosinophil level
▶ Pulse oximetry is prescribed for an adolescent. What should the nurse
do to ensure accuracy of the pulse oximeter reading? Answer: Capillary
beds are closest to the surface in a *finger or earlobe*; this proximity
permits more accurate measurement of arterial oxygen saturation.
