Pediatric Development: Exam 1 - Questions with Correct
Answers
100 questions
1. Bone age, assessed by a hand and wrist radiograph, is used to:
A. Diagnose ear infections
B. Measure lung capacity
C. Estimate skeletal maturity and remaining growth potential
D. Assess vision
Correct Answer: C. Estimate skeletal maturity and remaining growth potential
Rationale: Comparing bone development with chronological age helps evaluate growth
disorders and timing of puberty. It is unrelated to ears, lungs or vision.
2. Girls generally begin their pubertal growth spurt:
A. At the same time as boys
B. About 2 years earlier than boys
C. Five years after boys
D. Only after menarche
Correct Answer: B. About 2 years earlier than boys
Rationale: Girls start puberty and peak growth earlier, which is why they are often taller than
boys in early adolescence. Peak height velocity usually occurs before menarche.
3. Developmental regression, such as losing words or skills previously acquired, is:
A. Normal at all ages
B. Expected after every birthday
C. Only due to tiredness
D. A red flag requiring prompt evaluation
Correct Answer: D. A red flag requiring prompt evaluation
Rationale: Loss of skills can indicate conditions such as autism, neurologic disease or hearing
loss and needs evaluation. It is not typical development.
,4. The anterior fontanelle usually closes between:
A. 2 and 4 weeks of age
B. 3 and 4 years of age
C. 12 and 18 months of age
D. Birth and 1 week
Correct Answer: C. 12 and 18 months of age
Rationale: The diamond-shaped anterior fontanelle typically closes between 12 and 18 months.
Very early closure may suggest craniosynostosis, and late closure may suggest conditions such
as hypothyroidism.
5. A tense, bulging anterior fontanelle in a quiet, upright infant may indicate:
A. Dehydration
B. Increased intracranial pressure
C. Normal growth
D. Hunger
Correct Answer: B. Increased intracranial pressure
Rationale: A bulging fontanelle when the infant is calm and upright suggests raised pressure
from causes such as meningitis or hydrocephalus. Dehydration causes a sunken fontanelle, and
crying can cause temporary bulging.
6. Most healthy full-term infants regain their birth weight by about:
A. 10 to 14 days of age
B. 2 days of age
C. 6 weeks of age
D. 3 months of age
Correct Answer: A. 10 to 14 days of age
Rationale: Newborns lose up to about 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days and
usually regain it by 2 weeks. Regaining by day 2 is unlikely, and taking 6 weeks or more suggests
a feeding problem.
,7. Developmental milestones are best understood as:
A. Skills most children achieve within a range of ages
B. Exact dates every child must meet
C. Measures of intelligence
D. Fixed tests of physical size
Correct Answer: A. Skills most children achieve within a range of ages
Rationale: Children reach milestones at different times within a typical range, so mild variation
is normal while marked delays need evaluation. Milestones are not exact deadlines, IQ
measures or size measurements.
8. The developmental domains commonly assessed in children include:
A. Only height and weight
B. Only reading ability
C. Only vision
D. Gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive and social-emotional
Correct Answer: D. Gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive and social-emotional
Rationale: Assessing all domains gives a complete picture, since a child may be advanced in one
and delayed in another. Size, reading or vision alone are insufficient.
9. Piaget's formal operational stage, beginning around age 11 or 12, is characterized by:
A. Thinking limited to concrete objects
B. Animism
C. Abstract, hypothetical and deductive reasoning
D. Learning through reflexes
Correct Answer: C. Abstract, hypothetical and deductive reasoning
Rationale: Adolescents can think about possibilities, ideas and future consequences. Concrete
thinking, animism and reflexive learning belong to earlier stages.
, 10. A nurse who praises a child immediately after the child cooperates with a dressing change is
using:
A. Punishment
B. Positive reinforcement
C. Negative reinforcement by adding something unpleasant
D. Extinction
Correct Answer: B. Positive reinforcement
Rationale: Praise added after a desired behavior increases its likelihood. Punishment decreases
behavior, negative reinforcement removes something unpleasant, and extinction removes
reinforcement.
11. A child who understands that a ball of clay rolled into a snake has the same amount of clay is
showing:
A. Animism
B. Conservation
C. Egocentrism
D. Object permanence
Correct Answer: B. Conservation
Rationale: Conservation, the understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in
shape, develops in the concrete operational stage. Animism and egocentrism are
preoperational, and object permanence is sensorimotor.
12. A preschooler talking aloud to himself while building blocks is using what Vygotsky called:
A. A sign of developmental delay
B. Private speech to guide thinking and behavior
C. Echolalia
D. Animism
Correct Answer: B. Private speech to guide thinking and behavior
Rationale: Self-talk helps young children plan and regulate actions and later becomes inner
speech. It is normal, not a delay, and differs from echolalia and animism.
Answers
100 questions
1. Bone age, assessed by a hand and wrist radiograph, is used to:
A. Diagnose ear infections
B. Measure lung capacity
C. Estimate skeletal maturity and remaining growth potential
D. Assess vision
Correct Answer: C. Estimate skeletal maturity and remaining growth potential
Rationale: Comparing bone development with chronological age helps evaluate growth
disorders and timing of puberty. It is unrelated to ears, lungs or vision.
2. Girls generally begin their pubertal growth spurt:
A. At the same time as boys
B. About 2 years earlier than boys
C. Five years after boys
D. Only after menarche
Correct Answer: B. About 2 years earlier than boys
Rationale: Girls start puberty and peak growth earlier, which is why they are often taller than
boys in early adolescence. Peak height velocity usually occurs before menarche.
3. Developmental regression, such as losing words or skills previously acquired, is:
A. Normal at all ages
B. Expected after every birthday
C. Only due to tiredness
D. A red flag requiring prompt evaluation
Correct Answer: D. A red flag requiring prompt evaluation
Rationale: Loss of skills can indicate conditions such as autism, neurologic disease or hearing
loss and needs evaluation. It is not typical development.
,4. The anterior fontanelle usually closes between:
A. 2 and 4 weeks of age
B. 3 and 4 years of age
C. 12 and 18 months of age
D. Birth and 1 week
Correct Answer: C. 12 and 18 months of age
Rationale: The diamond-shaped anterior fontanelle typically closes between 12 and 18 months.
Very early closure may suggest craniosynostosis, and late closure may suggest conditions such
as hypothyroidism.
5. A tense, bulging anterior fontanelle in a quiet, upright infant may indicate:
A. Dehydration
B. Increased intracranial pressure
C. Normal growth
D. Hunger
Correct Answer: B. Increased intracranial pressure
Rationale: A bulging fontanelle when the infant is calm and upright suggests raised pressure
from causes such as meningitis or hydrocephalus. Dehydration causes a sunken fontanelle, and
crying can cause temporary bulging.
6. Most healthy full-term infants regain their birth weight by about:
A. 10 to 14 days of age
B. 2 days of age
C. 6 weeks of age
D. 3 months of age
Correct Answer: A. 10 to 14 days of age
Rationale: Newborns lose up to about 7 to 10 percent of birth weight in the first days and
usually regain it by 2 weeks. Regaining by day 2 is unlikely, and taking 6 weeks or more suggests
a feeding problem.
,7. Developmental milestones are best understood as:
A. Skills most children achieve within a range of ages
B. Exact dates every child must meet
C. Measures of intelligence
D. Fixed tests of physical size
Correct Answer: A. Skills most children achieve within a range of ages
Rationale: Children reach milestones at different times within a typical range, so mild variation
is normal while marked delays need evaluation. Milestones are not exact deadlines, IQ
measures or size measurements.
8. The developmental domains commonly assessed in children include:
A. Only height and weight
B. Only reading ability
C. Only vision
D. Gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive and social-emotional
Correct Answer: D. Gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive and social-emotional
Rationale: Assessing all domains gives a complete picture, since a child may be advanced in one
and delayed in another. Size, reading or vision alone are insufficient.
9. Piaget's formal operational stage, beginning around age 11 or 12, is characterized by:
A. Thinking limited to concrete objects
B. Animism
C. Abstract, hypothetical and deductive reasoning
D. Learning through reflexes
Correct Answer: C. Abstract, hypothetical and deductive reasoning
Rationale: Adolescents can think about possibilities, ideas and future consequences. Concrete
thinking, animism and reflexive learning belong to earlier stages.
, 10. A nurse who praises a child immediately after the child cooperates with a dressing change is
using:
A. Punishment
B. Positive reinforcement
C. Negative reinforcement by adding something unpleasant
D. Extinction
Correct Answer: B. Positive reinforcement
Rationale: Praise added after a desired behavior increases its likelihood. Punishment decreases
behavior, negative reinforcement removes something unpleasant, and extinction removes
reinforcement.
11. A child who understands that a ball of clay rolled into a snake has the same amount of clay is
showing:
A. Animism
B. Conservation
C. Egocentrism
D. Object permanence
Correct Answer: B. Conservation
Rationale: Conservation, the understanding that quantity stays the same despite changes in
shape, develops in the concrete operational stage. Animism and egocentrism are
preoperational, and object permanence is sensorimotor.
12. A preschooler talking aloud to himself while building blocks is using what Vygotsky called:
A. A sign of developmental delay
B. Private speech to guide thinking and behavior
C. Echolalia
D. Animism
Correct Answer: B. Private speech to guide thinking and behavior
Rationale: Self-talk helps young children plan and regulate actions and later becomes inner
speech. It is normal, not a delay, and differs from echolalia and animism.
