PEDIATRIC EXAM 1 NOTES FINAL STUDY
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ A chronically ill school-age child is most vulnerable to which
stressor?
1. Mutilation anxiety
2. Anticipatory grief
3. Anxiety over school absences
4. Fear of hospital procedures. Answer: 3. Anxiety over school absences
RATIONALE: The school-age child is becoming industrious and
attempts to master school-related activities. Therefore, school absences
are likely to cause extreme anxiety for a school-age child who's
chronically ill. Mutilation anxiety is more common in adolescents.
Anticipatory grief is rare in a school-age child. Fear of hospital
procedures is most pronounced in preschool-age children.
⩥ When developing a care plan for an adolescent, the nurse considers
the child's psychosocial needs. During adolescence, psychosocial
development focuses on:
1. becoming industrious.
,2. establishing an identity.
3. achieving intimacy.
4. developing initiative.. Answer: 2. establishing an identity.
RATIONALE: According to Erikson, the primary psychosocial task
during adolescence is to establish a personal identity while overcoming
role or identity confusion. The adolescent attempts to establish a group
identity by seeking acceptance and approval from peers, and strives to
attain a personal identity by becoming more independent from his
family. Becoming industrious is the developmental task of the school-
age child; achieving intimacy is the task of the young adult; and
developing initiative is the task of the preschooler.
⩥ A nurse notes that an infant develops arm movement before fine-
motor finger skills and interprets this as an example of which pattern of
development?
1. Cephalocaudal
2. Proximodistal
3. Differentiation
4. Mass-to-specific. Answer: 2. Proximodistal
RATIONALE: Proximodistal development progresses from the center of
the body to the extremities, such as from the arm to the fingers.
Cephalocaudal development occurs along the body's long axis; for
, example, the infant develops control over the head, mouth, and eye
movements before the upper body, torso, and legs. Mass-to-specific
development, sometimes called differentiation, occurs as the child
masters simple operations before complex functions and moves from
broad, general patterns of behavior to more refined ones.
⩥ A teenage mother brings her 1-year-old child to the pediatrician's
office for a well-baby checkup. She says that her infant can't sit alone or
roll over. An appropriate response by the nurse would be:
1. "This is very abnormal. Your child must be sick."
2. "Let's see about further developmental testing."
3. "Don't worry, this is normal for her age."
4. "Maybe you just haven't seen her do it.". Answer: . "Let's see about
further developmental testing."
RATIONALE: Stating that further developmental testing is necessary is
appropriate because at age 12 months a child should be sitting up and
rolling over. Therefore, this child may have developmental problems.
Saying the infant's behavior is abnormal or suggesting that the mother
hasn't seen her infant do these milestones isn't therapeutic and can cut
off communication with the mother. Telling the mother that the infant's
behavior is normal misleads the mother with false reassurance.
⩥ The mother of an 11-month-old infant reports to the nurse that her
infant sleeps much less than other children. The mother asks the nurse
GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
⩥ A chronically ill school-age child is most vulnerable to which
stressor?
1. Mutilation anxiety
2. Anticipatory grief
3. Anxiety over school absences
4. Fear of hospital procedures. Answer: 3. Anxiety over school absences
RATIONALE: The school-age child is becoming industrious and
attempts to master school-related activities. Therefore, school absences
are likely to cause extreme anxiety for a school-age child who's
chronically ill. Mutilation anxiety is more common in adolescents.
Anticipatory grief is rare in a school-age child. Fear of hospital
procedures is most pronounced in preschool-age children.
⩥ When developing a care plan for an adolescent, the nurse considers
the child's psychosocial needs. During adolescence, psychosocial
development focuses on:
1. becoming industrious.
,2. establishing an identity.
3. achieving intimacy.
4. developing initiative.. Answer: 2. establishing an identity.
RATIONALE: According to Erikson, the primary psychosocial task
during adolescence is to establish a personal identity while overcoming
role or identity confusion. The adolescent attempts to establish a group
identity by seeking acceptance and approval from peers, and strives to
attain a personal identity by becoming more independent from his
family. Becoming industrious is the developmental task of the school-
age child; achieving intimacy is the task of the young adult; and
developing initiative is the task of the preschooler.
⩥ A nurse notes that an infant develops arm movement before fine-
motor finger skills and interprets this as an example of which pattern of
development?
1. Cephalocaudal
2. Proximodistal
3. Differentiation
4. Mass-to-specific. Answer: 2. Proximodistal
RATIONALE: Proximodistal development progresses from the center of
the body to the extremities, such as from the arm to the fingers.
Cephalocaudal development occurs along the body's long axis; for
, example, the infant develops control over the head, mouth, and eye
movements before the upper body, torso, and legs. Mass-to-specific
development, sometimes called differentiation, occurs as the child
masters simple operations before complex functions and moves from
broad, general patterns of behavior to more refined ones.
⩥ A teenage mother brings her 1-year-old child to the pediatrician's
office for a well-baby checkup. She says that her infant can't sit alone or
roll over. An appropriate response by the nurse would be:
1. "This is very abnormal. Your child must be sick."
2. "Let's see about further developmental testing."
3. "Don't worry, this is normal for her age."
4. "Maybe you just haven't seen her do it.". Answer: . "Let's see about
further developmental testing."
RATIONALE: Stating that further developmental testing is necessary is
appropriate because at age 12 months a child should be sitting up and
rolling over. Therefore, this child may have developmental problems.
Saying the infant's behavior is abnormal or suggesting that the mother
hasn't seen her infant do these milestones isn't therapeutic and can cut
off communication with the mother. Telling the mother that the infant's
behavior is normal misleads the mother with false reassurance.
⩥ The mother of an 11-month-old infant reports to the nurse that her
infant sleeps much less than other children. The mother asks the nurse
