Chapter 31: The Infant and Family Perry:
Maternal Child Nursing Care, 6th Edition
questions and answers (best in 2025/2026)
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. - Answer 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. - Answer 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. - Answer 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 - Answer 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. - Answer 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 prematurity
d. Suggestive of a neurologic disorder such as cerebral palsy - Answer ANS: A
This indicates normal development. Reflexive grasping occurs during the first 2 to 3 months and then
gradually becomes voluntary. No evidence of developmental lag, delayed development, or neurologic
dysfunction is present by this behavior.
Maternal Child Nursing Care, 6th Edition
questions and answers (best in 2025/2026)
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. - Answer 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. - Answer 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. - Answer 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 - Answer 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. - Answer 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 prematurity
d. Suggestive of a neurologic disorder such as cerebral palsy - Answer ANS: A
This indicates normal development. Reflexive grasping occurs during the first 2 to 3 months and then
gradually becomes voluntary. No evidence of developmental lag, delayed development, or neurologic
dysfunction is present by this behavior.
