Pediatric Development: Midterm Exam (Units 1-7) - Questions
with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. The first primary teeth usually erupt at about:
A. Birth
B. 18 months of age
C. 6 months of age
D. 3 years of age
Correct Answer: C. 6 months of age
Rationale: The lower central incisors usually appear around 6 months, with a normal range of
about 4 to 12 months. Teeth at birth are uncommon, and no teeth by 18 months warrants
evaluation.
2. Mid-parental height is used to:
A. Measure head circumference
B. Determine bone age
C. Calculate BMI
D. Estimate a child's genetic target height from the parents' heights
Correct Answer: D. Estimate a child's genetic target height from the parents' heights
Rationale: Averaging parental heights with a sex adjustment estimates expected adult height,
helping evaluate short or tall stature. It does not measure head size, bone age or BMI.
3. A child's growth velocity is calculated by:
A. Measuring the change in height over a period of time, usually per year
B. Measuring height once
C. Dividing weight by age
D. Measuring head circumference only
Correct Answer: A. Measuring the change in height over a period of time, usually per year
Rationale: Velocity shows whether a child is growing at a normal rate, which is more sensitive
than a single height. One measurement, weight divided by age or head size alone cannot show
velocity.
,4. Body proportions change with growth, so compared with an adult, an infant's head is:
A. Proportionally smaller
B. Proportionally much larger in relation to body length
C. The same proportion
D. Smaller than the chest at birth in all infants
Correct Answer: B. Proportionally much larger in relation to body length
Rationale: The infant's head is about one quarter of body length, compared with about one
eighth in adults, reflecting cephalocaudal growth. It is not proportionally smaller.
5. A single measurement on a growth chart is less informative than:
A. The child's growth pattern over time across serial measurements
B. The parent's height only
C. The child's shoe size
D. A single blood test
Correct Answer: A. The child's growth pattern over time across serial measurements
Rationale: Tracking growth along a percentile over time identifies children who are crossing
percentiles and may have a problem. One point, parental height alone or shoe size cannot show
the trend.
6. Recommended relief for teething discomfort includes:
A. Benzocaine gels
B. Amber teething necklaces
C. A chilled (not frozen) teething ring or gentle gum massage
D. Rubbing alcohol on the gums
Correct Answer: C. A chilled (not frozen) teething ring or gentle gum massage
Rationale: Cool objects and massage soothe gums safely. The FDA warns against benzocaine
because of methemoglobinemia risk, necklaces pose strangulation and choking risks, and
alcohol is toxic.
,7. To measure an infant's head circumference, the nurse places the tape:
A. Around the neck
B. Under the chin and over the top of the head
C. Around the largest part of the head, just above the eyebrows and ears and around the
occipital prominence
D. Around the forehead only
Correct Answer: C. Around the largest part of the head, just above the eyebrows and ears and
around the occipital prominence
Rationale: The occipitofrontal circumference is the standard measurement. The neck,
chin-to-crown and forehead-only measurements do not reflect head size accurately.
8. Growth differs from development in that growth refers to:
A. An increase in physical size, such as height and weight
B. Gaining new skills and abilities
C. Changes in thinking only
D. Learning language
Correct Answer: A. An increase in physical size, such as height and weight
Rationale: Growth is measurable change in size, while development is the progressive gain of
skills in motor, cognitive, language and social areas. Thinking and language are developmental.
9. An infant's length usually increases by about what proportion during the first year?
A. 10 percent
B. 50 percent
C. 100 percent
D. 200 percent
Correct Answer: B. 50 percent
Rationale: Infants grow about 25 cm, roughly half their birth length, in the first year. Ten
percent is too little, and doubling length occurs around age 4.
, 10. Nature versus nurture in development refers to the influence of:
A. Diet compared with exercise only
B. Genetics and biology compared with environment and experience
C. Mother compared with father
D. Infection compared with immunity
Correct Answer: B. Genetics and biology compared with environment and experience
Rationale: Development results from interaction between inherited factors and environment,
such as nutrition, relationships and stimulation. The other pairs are not what the phrase
describes.
11. A child's height at age 2 is roughly:
A. Half of the eventual adult height
B. One quarter of adult height
C. Equal to adult height
D. Three-quarters of adult height
Correct Answer: A. Half of the eventual adult height
Rationale: A common estimate is that height at 2 years is about 50 percent of adult height. The
other fractions are inaccurate.
12. A full set of 20 primary teeth is usually present by about:
A. 12 months of age
B. 6 years of age
C. 10 years of age
D. 2.5 to 3 years of age
Correct Answer: D. 2.5 to 3 years of age
Rationale: All primary teeth usually erupt by about age 2.5 to 3. By 12 months only a few are
present, and at 6 years permanent teeth begin to appear.
with Correct Answers
100 questions
1. The first primary teeth usually erupt at about:
A. Birth
B. 18 months of age
C. 6 months of age
D. 3 years of age
Correct Answer: C. 6 months of age
Rationale: The lower central incisors usually appear around 6 months, with a normal range of
about 4 to 12 months. Teeth at birth are uncommon, and no teeth by 18 months warrants
evaluation.
2. Mid-parental height is used to:
A. Measure head circumference
B. Determine bone age
C. Calculate BMI
D. Estimate a child's genetic target height from the parents' heights
Correct Answer: D. Estimate a child's genetic target height from the parents' heights
Rationale: Averaging parental heights with a sex adjustment estimates expected adult height,
helping evaluate short or tall stature. It does not measure head size, bone age or BMI.
3. A child's growth velocity is calculated by:
A. Measuring the change in height over a period of time, usually per year
B. Measuring height once
C. Dividing weight by age
D. Measuring head circumference only
Correct Answer: A. Measuring the change in height over a period of time, usually per year
Rationale: Velocity shows whether a child is growing at a normal rate, which is more sensitive
than a single height. One measurement, weight divided by age or head size alone cannot show
velocity.
,4. Body proportions change with growth, so compared with an adult, an infant's head is:
A. Proportionally smaller
B. Proportionally much larger in relation to body length
C. The same proportion
D. Smaller than the chest at birth in all infants
Correct Answer: B. Proportionally much larger in relation to body length
Rationale: The infant's head is about one quarter of body length, compared with about one
eighth in adults, reflecting cephalocaudal growth. It is not proportionally smaller.
5. A single measurement on a growth chart is less informative than:
A. The child's growth pattern over time across serial measurements
B. The parent's height only
C. The child's shoe size
D. A single blood test
Correct Answer: A. The child's growth pattern over time across serial measurements
Rationale: Tracking growth along a percentile over time identifies children who are crossing
percentiles and may have a problem. One point, parental height alone or shoe size cannot show
the trend.
6. Recommended relief for teething discomfort includes:
A. Benzocaine gels
B. Amber teething necklaces
C. A chilled (not frozen) teething ring or gentle gum massage
D. Rubbing alcohol on the gums
Correct Answer: C. A chilled (not frozen) teething ring or gentle gum massage
Rationale: Cool objects and massage soothe gums safely. The FDA warns against benzocaine
because of methemoglobinemia risk, necklaces pose strangulation and choking risks, and
alcohol is toxic.
,7. To measure an infant's head circumference, the nurse places the tape:
A. Around the neck
B. Under the chin and over the top of the head
C. Around the largest part of the head, just above the eyebrows and ears and around the
occipital prominence
D. Around the forehead only
Correct Answer: C. Around the largest part of the head, just above the eyebrows and ears and
around the occipital prominence
Rationale: The occipitofrontal circumference is the standard measurement. The neck,
chin-to-crown and forehead-only measurements do not reflect head size accurately.
8. Growth differs from development in that growth refers to:
A. An increase in physical size, such as height and weight
B. Gaining new skills and abilities
C. Changes in thinking only
D. Learning language
Correct Answer: A. An increase in physical size, such as height and weight
Rationale: Growth is measurable change in size, while development is the progressive gain of
skills in motor, cognitive, language and social areas. Thinking and language are developmental.
9. An infant's length usually increases by about what proportion during the first year?
A. 10 percent
B. 50 percent
C. 100 percent
D. 200 percent
Correct Answer: B. 50 percent
Rationale: Infants grow about 25 cm, roughly half their birth length, in the first year. Ten
percent is too little, and doubling length occurs around age 4.
, 10. Nature versus nurture in development refers to the influence of:
A. Diet compared with exercise only
B. Genetics and biology compared with environment and experience
C. Mother compared with father
D. Infection compared with immunity
Correct Answer: B. Genetics and biology compared with environment and experience
Rationale: Development results from interaction between inherited factors and environment,
such as nutrition, relationships and stimulation. The other pairs are not what the phrase
describes.
11. A child's height at age 2 is roughly:
A. Half of the eventual adult height
B. One quarter of adult height
C. Equal to adult height
D. Three-quarters of adult height
Correct Answer: A. Half of the eventual adult height
Rationale: A common estimate is that height at 2 years is about 50 percent of adult height. The
other fractions are inaccurate.
12. A full set of 20 primary teeth is usually present by about:
A. 12 months of age
B. 6 years of age
C. 10 years of age
D. 2.5 to 3 years of age
Correct Answer: D. 2.5 to 3 years of age
Rationale: All primary teeth usually erupt by about age 2.5 to 3. By 12 months only a few are
present, and at 6 years permanent teeth begin to appear.
