PERRY’S MATERNAL CHILD
NURSING CARE; (THE INFANT
AND FAMILY) REVIEWED QUESTIONS
AND THEIR WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS
1. Which statement accurately describes an event
associated with an infant's physical development?
a. Anterior fontanel closes by age 6 to 10 months.
b. Binocularity is well established by age 8 months.
c. Birth weight doubles by age 5 months and triples by
age 1 year.
d. Maternal iron stores persist during the first 12
months of life.
ANS: C
Growth is very rapid during the first year of life. The birth
weight approximately doubles by age 5 to 6 months and
triples by age 1 year. The anterior fontanel closes at age
12 to 18 months. Binocularity is not established until age
15 months. Maternal iron stores are usually depleted by
age 6 months.
2. The nurse assessing a 6-month-old healthy infant
who weighed 7 lbs at birth, shares with the parents
that the infant should weigh approximately how many
pounds?
a. 10 lbs.
,b. 15 lbs.
c. 20 lbs.
d. 25 lbs.
ANS: B
Birth weight doubles at about age 5 to 6 months. At 6
months, an infant who weighed 7 lbs at birth would weigh
approximately 15 lbs. Ten pounds is too little; the infant
would have gone from the 50th percentile at birth to below
the 5th percentile. Twenty pounds or more is too much;
the infant would have tripled the birth weight at 6 months.
3. The nurse is doing a routine assessment on a 14-
month-old infant and notes that the anterior fontanel
is closed. This should be interpreted as:
a. a normal finding.
b. a questionable finding—the infant should be
rechecked in 1 month.
c. an abnormal finding—indicates the need for
immediate referral to a practitioner.
d. an abnormal finding—indicates the need for
developmental assessment.
ANS: A
Because the anterior fontanel normally closes between
ages 12 and 18 months, this is a normal finding, and no
further intervention is required.
4. By what age does the posterior fontanel usually
close?
a. 6 to 8 weeks
b. 10 to 12 weeks
c. 4 to 6 months
d. 8 to 10 months
, ANS: A
The bones surrounding the posterior fontanel fuse and
close by age 6 to 8 weeks. Ten weeks or longer is too late
and indicates a problem.
5. The parents of a 9-month-old infant tell the nurse
that they have noticed foods such as peas and corn
are not completely digested and can be seen in their
infant's stool. The nurse bases her explanation on
what fact?
a. Children should not be given fibrous foods until the
digestive tract matures at age 4 years.
b. The infant should not be given any solid foods until
this digestive problem is resolved.
c. This is abnormal and requires further investigation.
d. This is normal because of the immaturity of
digestive processes at this age.
ANS: D
The immaturity of the digestive tract is evident in the
appearance of the stools. Solid foods are passed
incompletely broken down in the feces but it is not
necessity to eliminate solid foods. An excess quantity of
fiber predisposes the child to large, bulky stools. This is a
normal part of the maturational process, and no further
investigation is necessary.
6. A 3-month-old infant, born at 38 weeks of gestation,
will hold a rattle if it is put in her hands; however, she
will not voluntarily grasp it. How should the nurse
interpret this behavior?
a. Normal development
b. Significant developmental lag
c. Slightly delayed development caused by
NURSING CARE; (THE INFANT
AND FAMILY) REVIEWED QUESTIONS
AND THEIR WELL EXPLAINED
ANSWERS
1. Which statement accurately describes an event
associated with an infant's physical development?
a. Anterior fontanel closes by age 6 to 10 months.
b. Binocularity is well established by age 8 months.
c. Birth weight doubles by age 5 months and triples by
age 1 year.
d. Maternal iron stores persist during the first 12
months of life.
ANS: C
Growth is very rapid during the first year of life. The birth
weight approximately doubles by age 5 to 6 months and
triples by age 1 year. The anterior fontanel closes at age
12 to 18 months. Binocularity is not established until age
15 months. Maternal iron stores are usually depleted by
age 6 months.
2. The nurse assessing a 6-month-old healthy infant
who weighed 7 lbs at birth, shares with the parents
that the infant should weigh approximately how many
pounds?
a. 10 lbs.
,b. 15 lbs.
c. 20 lbs.
d. 25 lbs.
ANS: B
Birth weight doubles at about age 5 to 6 months. At 6
months, an infant who weighed 7 lbs at birth would weigh
approximately 15 lbs. Ten pounds is too little; the infant
would have gone from the 50th percentile at birth to below
the 5th percentile. Twenty pounds or more is too much;
the infant would have tripled the birth weight at 6 months.
3. The nurse is doing a routine assessment on a 14-
month-old infant and notes that the anterior fontanel
is closed. This should be interpreted as:
a. a normal finding.
b. a questionable finding—the infant should be
rechecked in 1 month.
c. an abnormal finding—indicates the need for
immediate referral to a practitioner.
d. an abnormal finding—indicates the need for
developmental assessment.
ANS: A
Because the anterior fontanel normally closes between
ages 12 and 18 months, this is a normal finding, and no
further intervention is required.
4. By what age does the posterior fontanel usually
close?
a. 6 to 8 weeks
b. 10 to 12 weeks
c. 4 to 6 months
d. 8 to 10 months
, ANS: A
The bones surrounding the posterior fontanel fuse and
close by age 6 to 8 weeks. Ten weeks or longer is too late
and indicates a problem.
5. The parents of a 9-month-old infant tell the nurse
that they have noticed foods such as peas and corn
are not completely digested and can be seen in their
infant's stool. The nurse bases her explanation on
what fact?
a. Children should not be given fibrous foods until the
digestive tract matures at age 4 years.
b. The infant should not be given any solid foods until
this digestive problem is resolved.
c. This is abnormal and requires further investigation.
d. This is normal because of the immaturity of
digestive processes at this age.
ANS: D
The immaturity of the digestive tract is evident in the
appearance of the stools. Solid foods are passed
incompletely broken down in the feces but it is not
necessity to eliminate solid foods. An excess quantity of
fiber predisposes the child to large, bulky stools. This is a
normal part of the maturational process, and no further
investigation is necessary.
6. A 3-month-old infant, born at 38 weeks of gestation,
will hold a rattle if it is put in her hands; however, she
will not voluntarily grasp it. How should the nurse
interpret this behavior?
a. Normal development
b. Significant developmental lag
c. Slightly delayed development caused by
