Pediatric Neurological Practice Questions &
Verified A+ Answers
1. A nurse is explaining to parents how the central nervous system of a child differs from that of an
adult. Which statement accurately describes these differences?
a.
The infant has 150 milliliters of cerebrospinal fluid compared with 50 milliliters in the adult.
b.
Papilledema is a common manifestation of increased intracranial pressure in the very young child.
c.
The brain of a term infant weighs less than half of the weight of the adult brain.
d.
Coordination and fine motor skills develop as myelinization of peripheral nerves progresses. - Answer D.
Peripheral nerves are not completely myelinated at birth. As myelinization progresses, so does the childs
coordination and fine muscle movements. An infant has about 50 milliliters of cerebrospinal fluid
compared with 150 milliliters in an adult. Papilledema rarely occurs in infancy because open fontanels
and sutures can expand in the presence of increased intracranial pressure. The brain of the term infant
is two-thirds the weight of an adults brain.
2. A nurse is assessing a 1-year-old child for increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Which sign should the
nurse assess for with this age of child?
a.
Headache
b.
Bulging fontanel
c.
Tachypnea
d.
Increase in head circumference - Answer ANS: A
Headaches are a clinical manifestation of increased ICP in children. A change in the childs normal
behavior pattern may be an important early sign of increased ICP. A bulging fontanel is a manifestation
of increased ICP in infants. A 10-year-old child would have a closed fontanel. A change in respiratory
, pattern is a late sign of increased ICP. Cheyne-Stokes respiration may be evident. This refers to a pattern
of increasing rate and depth of respirations followed by a decreasing rate and depth with a pause of
variable length. By 10 years of age, cranial sutures have fused so that head circumference will not
increase in the presence of increased ICP.
3. The nurse should give a child who is to have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain which
information?
a.
Your head will be restrained.
b.
You will have to drink a special fluid before the test.
c.
You will have to lie flat after the test is finished.
d.
You will have electrodes placed on your head with glue. - Answer A
To reduce fear and enhance cooperation during the MRI, the child should be made aware that his head
will be restricted to obtain accurate information. Drinking fluids is usually done for gastrointestinal
procedures. A child would lie flat after a lumbar puncture, not during an MRI. Electrodes are attached to
the head for an electroencephalogram.
A child with spina bifida is being admitted to the hospital for a shunt revision? The nurse admitting the
child anticipates which type of precautions to be ordered for the child?
a.
Latex
b.
Bleeding
c.
Seizure
d.
Isolation - Answer A
Children with spina bifida are at high risk for developing latex allergies because of frequent exposure to
latex during catheterizations, shunt placements, and other operations. The child with spina bifida does
Verified A+ Answers
1. A nurse is explaining to parents how the central nervous system of a child differs from that of an
adult. Which statement accurately describes these differences?
a.
The infant has 150 milliliters of cerebrospinal fluid compared with 50 milliliters in the adult.
b.
Papilledema is a common manifestation of increased intracranial pressure in the very young child.
c.
The brain of a term infant weighs less than half of the weight of the adult brain.
d.
Coordination and fine motor skills develop as myelinization of peripheral nerves progresses. - Answer D.
Peripheral nerves are not completely myelinated at birth. As myelinization progresses, so does the childs
coordination and fine muscle movements. An infant has about 50 milliliters of cerebrospinal fluid
compared with 150 milliliters in an adult. Papilledema rarely occurs in infancy because open fontanels
and sutures can expand in the presence of increased intracranial pressure. The brain of the term infant
is two-thirds the weight of an adults brain.
2. A nurse is assessing a 1-year-old child for increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Which sign should the
nurse assess for with this age of child?
a.
Headache
b.
Bulging fontanel
c.
Tachypnea
d.
Increase in head circumference - Answer ANS: A
Headaches are a clinical manifestation of increased ICP in children. A change in the childs normal
behavior pattern may be an important early sign of increased ICP. A bulging fontanel is a manifestation
of increased ICP in infants. A 10-year-old child would have a closed fontanel. A change in respiratory
, pattern is a late sign of increased ICP. Cheyne-Stokes respiration may be evident. This refers to a pattern
of increasing rate and depth of respirations followed by a decreasing rate and depth with a pause of
variable length. By 10 years of age, cranial sutures have fused so that head circumference will not
increase in the presence of increased ICP.
3. The nurse should give a child who is to have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain which
information?
a.
Your head will be restrained.
b.
You will have to drink a special fluid before the test.
c.
You will have to lie flat after the test is finished.
d.
You will have electrodes placed on your head with glue. - Answer A
To reduce fear and enhance cooperation during the MRI, the child should be made aware that his head
will be restricted to obtain accurate information. Drinking fluids is usually done for gastrointestinal
procedures. A child would lie flat after a lumbar puncture, not during an MRI. Electrodes are attached to
the head for an electroencephalogram.
A child with spina bifida is being admitted to the hospital for a shunt revision? The nurse admitting the
child anticipates which type of precautions to be ordered for the child?
a.
Latex
b.
Bleeding
c.
Seizure
d.
Isolation - Answer A
Children with spina bifida are at high risk for developing latex allergies because of frequent exposure to
latex during catheterizations, shunt placements, and other operations. The child with spina bifida does
