Wong's Nursing Care of Infants and
Children Chapter 21 questions and answer s
2025/2026 latest update
What behavior should most likely be manifested in an infant experiencing the protest phase of
separation anxiety?
a. Inactivity
b. Depression and sadness
c. Inconsolable and crying
d. Regression to earlier behavior - -✔✔ answer ANS: C
For older infants, being inconsolable and crying is seen during the protest phase of separation anxiety.
Inactivity is observed during the stage of despair. The child is much less active and withdraws from
others. Depression, sadness, and regression to earlier behaviors are observed during the phase of
despair.
Because of their striving for independence and productivity, which age group of children is particularly
vulnerable to events that may lessen their feeling of control and power?
a. Infants
b. Toddlers
c. Preschoolers
d. School-age children - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
When a child is hospitalized, the altered family role, physical disability, loss of peer acceptance, lack of
productivity, and inability to cope with stress usurp individual power and identity. This is especially
detrimental to school-age children, who are striving for independence and productivity and are now
experiencing events that decrease their control and power. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, although
affected by loss of power, are not as significantly affected as school-age children.
Cognitive development influences response to pain. What age group is most concerned with the fear of
losing control during a painful experience?
a. Toddlers
,b. Preschoolers
c. School-age children
d. Adolescents - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
Adolescents view illness as physiologic (an organ malfunction) as psychophysiologic (psychologic factors
that affect health). Adolescents usually approach pain with self-control. They are concerned with
remaining composed and feel embarrassed or ashamed of losing control. Toddlers and preschoolers
react to pain primarily as a physical, concrete experience. Preschoolers may try to escape a procedure
with verbal statements such as go away. Young school-age children may view pain as punishment for
wrongdoing. They age group fears bodily harm.
A child, age 4 years, tells the nurse that she "needs a Band-Aid" where she had an injection. Which of
the following is the best nursing action?
a. Apply a Band-Aid.
b. Ask her why she wants a Band-Aid.
c. Explain why a Band-Aid is not needed.
d. Show her that the bleeding has already stopped. - -✔✔ answer ANS: A
Children in this age group still fear that their insides may leak out at the injection site. The nurse should
be prepared to apply a small Band-Aid after the injection. No explanation should be required.
The psychosexual conflicts of preschool children make them extremely vulnerable to which threat?
a. Loss of control
b. Loss of identity
c. Separation anxiety
d. Bodily injury and pain - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
The psychosexual conflicts of children in this age group make them vulnerable to threats of bodily injury.
Intrusive procedures, whether painful or painless, are threatening to preschoolers, whose concepts of
body integrity is still poorly developed. Loss of control, loss of identity, and separation anxiety are not
related to psychosexual conflicts.
, A spinal tap must be done on a 9-year-old boy. While he is waiting in the treatment room, the nurse
observes that he seems composed. When the nurse asks him if he wants his mother to stay with him, he
says, "I am fine." How should the nurse interpret this situation?
a. The child is unusually brave.
b. He has learned that support does not help.
c. Nine-year-old boys do not usually want a parent present during the procedure.
d. Children in this age group often do not request support even though they need and want it. - -✔✔
answer ANS: D
The school-age child's visible composure, calmness, and acceptance often mask an inner longing for
support. Children of this age have a more passive approach to pain and an indirect request for support.
It is especially important to be aware of non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, silence and lack of
activity, Usually when someone identifies the unspoken messages, the child will readily accept support.
The mother of a 7-month-old infant newly diagnosed with cystic fibrosis is rooming in with her infant.
She is breast-feeding and provides all the care except for the medication administration. What should
the nurse include in the plan of care?
a. Ensuring that the mother has time away from the infant.
b. Making sure the mother is providing all of the infant's care.
c. Determining whether other family members can provide the necessary care so the mother can rest.
d. Contacting the social worker because of the mother's interference with the nursing care. - -✔✔
answer ANS: A
The mother needs sufficient rest and nutrition so she can be effective as a caregiver. While the infant is
hospitalized, the care is the responsibility of the nursing staff. The mother should be made comfortable
with the care the staff provides in her absence. The mother has a right to provide care for the infant.
The nursing staff and the mother should agree on the care division.
A 10-year-old girl needs to have another intravenous (IV) line started. She keeps telling the nurse "wait a
minute" and "I'm not ready." How should the nurse interpret this behavior?
a. IV insertion are viewed as a punishment.
Children Chapter 21 questions and answer s
2025/2026 latest update
What behavior should most likely be manifested in an infant experiencing the protest phase of
separation anxiety?
a. Inactivity
b. Depression and sadness
c. Inconsolable and crying
d. Regression to earlier behavior - -✔✔ answer ANS: C
For older infants, being inconsolable and crying is seen during the protest phase of separation anxiety.
Inactivity is observed during the stage of despair. The child is much less active and withdraws from
others. Depression, sadness, and regression to earlier behaviors are observed during the phase of
despair.
Because of their striving for independence and productivity, which age group of children is particularly
vulnerable to events that may lessen their feeling of control and power?
a. Infants
b. Toddlers
c. Preschoolers
d. School-age children - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
When a child is hospitalized, the altered family role, physical disability, loss of peer acceptance, lack of
productivity, and inability to cope with stress usurp individual power and identity. This is especially
detrimental to school-age children, who are striving for independence and productivity and are now
experiencing events that decrease their control and power. Infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, although
affected by loss of power, are not as significantly affected as school-age children.
Cognitive development influences response to pain. What age group is most concerned with the fear of
losing control during a painful experience?
a. Toddlers
,b. Preschoolers
c. School-age children
d. Adolescents - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
Adolescents view illness as physiologic (an organ malfunction) as psychophysiologic (psychologic factors
that affect health). Adolescents usually approach pain with self-control. They are concerned with
remaining composed and feel embarrassed or ashamed of losing control. Toddlers and preschoolers
react to pain primarily as a physical, concrete experience. Preschoolers may try to escape a procedure
with verbal statements such as go away. Young school-age children may view pain as punishment for
wrongdoing. They age group fears bodily harm.
A child, age 4 years, tells the nurse that she "needs a Band-Aid" where she had an injection. Which of
the following is the best nursing action?
a. Apply a Band-Aid.
b. Ask her why she wants a Band-Aid.
c. Explain why a Band-Aid is not needed.
d. Show her that the bleeding has already stopped. - -✔✔ answer ANS: A
Children in this age group still fear that their insides may leak out at the injection site. The nurse should
be prepared to apply a small Band-Aid after the injection. No explanation should be required.
The psychosexual conflicts of preschool children make them extremely vulnerable to which threat?
a. Loss of control
b. Loss of identity
c. Separation anxiety
d. Bodily injury and pain - -✔✔ answer ANS: D
The psychosexual conflicts of children in this age group make them vulnerable to threats of bodily injury.
Intrusive procedures, whether painful or painless, are threatening to preschoolers, whose concepts of
body integrity is still poorly developed. Loss of control, loss of identity, and separation anxiety are not
related to psychosexual conflicts.
, A spinal tap must be done on a 9-year-old boy. While he is waiting in the treatment room, the nurse
observes that he seems composed. When the nurse asks him if he wants his mother to stay with him, he
says, "I am fine." How should the nurse interpret this situation?
a. The child is unusually brave.
b. He has learned that support does not help.
c. Nine-year-old boys do not usually want a parent present during the procedure.
d. Children in this age group often do not request support even though they need and want it. - -✔✔
answer ANS: D
The school-age child's visible composure, calmness, and acceptance often mask an inner longing for
support. Children of this age have a more passive approach to pain and an indirect request for support.
It is especially important to be aware of non-verbal cues such as facial expressions, silence and lack of
activity, Usually when someone identifies the unspoken messages, the child will readily accept support.
The mother of a 7-month-old infant newly diagnosed with cystic fibrosis is rooming in with her infant.
She is breast-feeding and provides all the care except for the medication administration. What should
the nurse include in the plan of care?
a. Ensuring that the mother has time away from the infant.
b. Making sure the mother is providing all of the infant's care.
c. Determining whether other family members can provide the necessary care so the mother can rest.
d. Contacting the social worker because of the mother's interference with the nursing care. - -✔✔
answer ANS: A
The mother needs sufficient rest and nutrition so she can be effective as a caregiver. While the infant is
hospitalized, the care is the responsibility of the nursing staff. The mother should be made comfortable
with the care the staff provides in her absence. The mother has a right to provide care for the infant.
The nursing staff and the mother should agree on the care division.
A 10-year-old girl needs to have another intravenous (IV) line started. She keeps telling the nurse "wait a
minute" and "I'm not ready." How should the nurse interpret this behavior?
a. IV insertion are viewed as a punishment.
