MN580 MIDTERM EXAM REVIEW QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2026 UPDATED EXAM PREP
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ 6. The mother of a 6-month-old infant is distressed because the
infant can say "dada" but not "mama" and asks the primary care
pediatric nurse practitioner why this is when she is the one who
spends more time with the infant. How will the nurse practitioner
respond?
a. "At this age, your baby does not understand the meaning of
sounds."
b. "Babies at this age cannot make the 'ma' sound."
c. "Most sounds made by babies at this age are accidental."
d. "This may mean that your baby doesn't hear well.". Answer: ANS:
A
At 6 months, infants delight in vocalizing sounds that they learn by
imitation but do not ascribe meaning to the sounds they make.
Infants can say "mama" but without meaning. Babies make sounds
on purpose by imitating what they hear. A preference for one sound
early in speech does not indicate a hearing deficit.
,◉ 7. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a
well baby examination on a 2-month-old infant who has gained 25
grams per day in the last interval. The mother is nursing and tells
the nurse practitioner that her infant seems fussy and wants to
nurse more often. What will the nurse practitioner tell her?
a. She may not be making as much breastmilk as before.
b. She should keep a log of the frequency and duration of each
feeding.
c. The infant may be going through an expected growth spurt.
d. The infant should stay on the previously established nursing
schedule.. Answer: ANS: C
Infants may have a growth spurt at 6 to 8 weeks, and mothers who
are breastfeeding may be concerned that they are not making
enough milk when they notice that the infant is fussy and wanting to
nurse more often. The PNP should reassure the mother that this is
expected. It is not necessary, since the infant is gaining weight
appropriately, for the mother to keep a log. The mother should
follow the infant's cues for feeding since the extra suckling will
increase the milk supply to meet the growing infant's needs.
◉ 8. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a
well child examination on a 9-month-old infant whose hearing is
normal but who responds to verbal cues with only single syllable
,vocalizations. What will the nurse practitioner recommend to the
parents to improve speech and language skills in this infant?
a. Provide educational videos that focus on language.
b. Read simple board books to the infant at bedtime.
c. Sing to the child and play lullabies in the baby's room.
d. Turn the television to Sesame Street during the day.. Answer: ANS:
B
The best way to improve language skills is to read to children. As
long as the reading includes positive interactions with the baby and
the reader, the baby is learning language. Educational videos, music,
and television are all passive media and do not involve this
interaction.
◉ 9. The parent of a 5-month-old is worried because the infant
becomes fussy but doesn't always seem interested in nursing. What
will the nurse practitioner tell this parent?
a. The infant may be expressing a desire to play or to rest.
b. The parent should give ibuprofen for teething pain before nursing.
c. This is an indication that the infant is ready for solid foods.
d. This may indicate gastrointestinal discomfort such as
constipation. Answer: ANS: A
, At this age, infants may cry when they are tired or need social
interaction and not just when they are hungry. The PNP should teach
parents about this change in social development so they can be
responsive to their infant's needs. Solid foods are not added until
age 6 months. Teething usually does not begin until at least 6
months. GI discomfort usually occurs after eating.
◉ 10. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is examining a
12-month-old infant who was 6 weeks premature and observes that
the infant uses a raking motion to pick up small objects. The PEDS
questionnaire completed by the parent did not show significant
developmental delays. What will the nurse practitioner do first?
a. Perform an in-depth developmental assessment.
b. Reassure the parent that this is normal for a premature infant.
c. Refer the infant to a developmental specialist.
d. Suggest activities to improve fine motor skills.. Answer: ANS: A
When developmental screening indicates an infant is not
progressing at the expected rate, additional testing to determine the
degree of delay is necessary. A referral may be needed if a delay is
determined. This is not normal for this degree of prematurity;
infants should develop a pincer grasp by 9 to 10 months of age.
AND ANSWERS 2026 UPDATED EXAM PREP
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
◉ 6. The mother of a 6-month-old infant is distressed because the
infant can say "dada" but not "mama" and asks the primary care
pediatric nurse practitioner why this is when she is the one who
spends more time with the infant. How will the nurse practitioner
respond?
a. "At this age, your baby does not understand the meaning of
sounds."
b. "Babies at this age cannot make the 'ma' sound."
c. "Most sounds made by babies at this age are accidental."
d. "This may mean that your baby doesn't hear well.". Answer: ANS:
A
At 6 months, infants delight in vocalizing sounds that they learn by
imitation but do not ascribe meaning to the sounds they make.
Infants can say "mama" but without meaning. Babies make sounds
on purpose by imitating what they hear. A preference for one sound
early in speech does not indicate a hearing deficit.
,◉ 7. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a
well baby examination on a 2-month-old infant who has gained 25
grams per day in the last interval. The mother is nursing and tells
the nurse practitioner that her infant seems fussy and wants to
nurse more often. What will the nurse practitioner tell her?
a. She may not be making as much breastmilk as before.
b. She should keep a log of the frequency and duration of each
feeding.
c. The infant may be going through an expected growth spurt.
d. The infant should stay on the previously established nursing
schedule.. Answer: ANS: C
Infants may have a growth spurt at 6 to 8 weeks, and mothers who
are breastfeeding may be concerned that they are not making
enough milk when they notice that the infant is fussy and wanting to
nurse more often. The PNP should reassure the mother that this is
expected. It is not necessary, since the infant is gaining weight
appropriately, for the mother to keep a log. The mother should
follow the infant's cues for feeding since the extra suckling will
increase the milk supply to meet the growing infant's needs.
◉ 8. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is performing a
well child examination on a 9-month-old infant whose hearing is
normal but who responds to verbal cues with only single syllable
,vocalizations. What will the nurse practitioner recommend to the
parents to improve speech and language skills in this infant?
a. Provide educational videos that focus on language.
b. Read simple board books to the infant at bedtime.
c. Sing to the child and play lullabies in the baby's room.
d. Turn the television to Sesame Street during the day.. Answer: ANS:
B
The best way to improve language skills is to read to children. As
long as the reading includes positive interactions with the baby and
the reader, the baby is learning language. Educational videos, music,
and television are all passive media and do not involve this
interaction.
◉ 9. The parent of a 5-month-old is worried because the infant
becomes fussy but doesn't always seem interested in nursing. What
will the nurse practitioner tell this parent?
a. The infant may be expressing a desire to play or to rest.
b. The parent should give ibuprofen for teething pain before nursing.
c. This is an indication that the infant is ready for solid foods.
d. This may indicate gastrointestinal discomfort such as
constipation. Answer: ANS: A
, At this age, infants may cry when they are tired or need social
interaction and not just when they are hungry. The PNP should teach
parents about this change in social development so they can be
responsive to their infant's needs. Solid foods are not added until
age 6 months. Teething usually does not begin until at least 6
months. GI discomfort usually occurs after eating.
◉ 10. The primary care pediatric nurse practitioner is examining a
12-month-old infant who was 6 weeks premature and observes that
the infant uses a raking motion to pick up small objects. The PEDS
questionnaire completed by the parent did not show significant
developmental delays. What will the nurse practitioner do first?
a. Perform an in-depth developmental assessment.
b. Reassure the parent that this is normal for a premature infant.
c. Refer the infant to a developmental specialist.
d. Suggest activities to improve fine motor skills.. Answer: ANS: A
When developmental screening indicates an infant is not
progressing at the expected rate, additional testing to determine the
degree of delay is necessary. A referral may be needed if a delay is
determined. This is not normal for this degree of prematurity;
infants should develop a pincer grasp by 9 to 10 months of age.
