RN NURSING CARE OF CHILDREN EXAM
SCRIPT 2026 ATI PRACTICE A AND B
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ A nurse is performing a well-child assessment on a 4-year old
child. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
Answer: The child is able to hop on 1 foot
Rational: The nurse should expect a 4-year -old child to have the
gross motor ability to hop on 1 foot
◉ A nurse is creating a plan of care for a child who has leukopenia
secondary to chemotherapy. Which of the following interventions
should the nurse include in the plan? Answer: Monitor the child for
increased temperature
Rational: Leukopenia places the child at risk of infection; therefore,
the nurse should monitor the child for a fever
◉ A nurse is assessing a 9-month old infant during a well-child visit.
Which of the following findings indicates that the infant has a
developmental delay? Answer: Inability to vocalize vowel sounds
,Rational: The infant should begin vocalizing vowel sounds at the age
of 7 months. By the age of 10 months, the infant should be able to
say at least 1 word
◉ A nurse is caring for an infant who has a cleft palate. The parents
ask the nurse how long they should wait before the child can have
corrective surgery. The nurse should explain that the parents should
wait no longer than 6 to 12 months for surgery to prevent which of
the following outcomes? Answer: Difficulty with language
acquisition
Rational: Clients who have a cleft palate can have difficulty acquiring
language because they need to use the palate for vocalizing sounds.
Because of the cleft in the palate, these infants could develop poor
speech habits
◉ A nurse in an acute pediatric unit is caring for a 2-year-old child
who has separation anxiety when her parents leave for work. The
nurse should identify which of the following behaviors are a
manifestation of the stage of despair? Answer: The child is
withdrawn and refuses to talk
Rational: Separation anxiety manifests in 3 stages; protest, despair,
and detachment. Withdrawal and lack of communication are
manifestations of the stage of despair.
,◉ A nurse is preparing to assess a 2-year-old toddler. Which of the
following behaviors should the nurse expect during the
examination? Answer: The child prefers to sit on the parent's lap
during the examination
Rational: Toddlers and infants who are able to sit typically prefer to
sit in their parents' lap throughout the examination
◉ A nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child who has a cyanotic cardiac
defect. The child cries when her parents leave the room. worsening
her cyanosis and dyspnea. Into which of the following positions
should the nurse place the child to improve these manifestations?
Answer: Knee-Chest
Rational: The knee-chest position, which is similar to squatting,
facilitates the oxygenation of the lungs. The nurse should assist the
child into this position to facilitate breathing
◉ A nurse is providing dietary teaching to the parent of a toddler
who has phenylketonuria. Which of the following foods should the
nurse recommend? Answer: Cooked carrots
Rational: The nurse should instruct the parent to offer the toddler
foods that are low in protein such as cooked carrots and fruits
, ◉ A nurse is caring for a preschooler who is immediately
postoperative following the removal of a brainstem tumor. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take? Answer: Monitor the
child's temperature every 30 minutes
Rational: The nurse should monitor the child's temperature every 15
to 30 minutes. Surgery on the brainstem can cause hyperthermia
◉ A nurse is assessing a 4-year-old child for growth and
developmental milestones during a well-child visit. Which of the
following findings suggests a possible delay in development?
Answer: Speaking using 2-or-3 word sentences
Rational: A 4-year-old child should be speaking in 4-to-5 word
sentences. Speaking in 2-to-3 word sentences is typical of a 2-year-
old child
◉ A nurse is discussing disciplinary techniques with the guardian of
a preschooler. Which of the following actions indicates to the nurse
that the guardian is using an age-appropriate disciplinary
technique? Answer: The guardian places the child in time-out after
misbehaving
Rational: The nurse should encourage the guardian to continue to
use time-out as a form of discipline. This technique is effective with a
preschooler if carried out correctly. The nurse should review the
SCRIPT 2026 ATI PRACTICE A AND B
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
◉ A nurse is performing a well-child assessment on a 4-year old
child. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?
Answer: The child is able to hop on 1 foot
Rational: The nurse should expect a 4-year -old child to have the
gross motor ability to hop on 1 foot
◉ A nurse is creating a plan of care for a child who has leukopenia
secondary to chemotherapy. Which of the following interventions
should the nurse include in the plan? Answer: Monitor the child for
increased temperature
Rational: Leukopenia places the child at risk of infection; therefore,
the nurse should monitor the child for a fever
◉ A nurse is assessing a 9-month old infant during a well-child visit.
Which of the following findings indicates that the infant has a
developmental delay? Answer: Inability to vocalize vowel sounds
,Rational: The infant should begin vocalizing vowel sounds at the age
of 7 months. By the age of 10 months, the infant should be able to
say at least 1 word
◉ A nurse is caring for an infant who has a cleft palate. The parents
ask the nurse how long they should wait before the child can have
corrective surgery. The nurse should explain that the parents should
wait no longer than 6 to 12 months for surgery to prevent which of
the following outcomes? Answer: Difficulty with language
acquisition
Rational: Clients who have a cleft palate can have difficulty acquiring
language because they need to use the palate for vocalizing sounds.
Because of the cleft in the palate, these infants could develop poor
speech habits
◉ A nurse in an acute pediatric unit is caring for a 2-year-old child
who has separation anxiety when her parents leave for work. The
nurse should identify which of the following behaviors are a
manifestation of the stage of despair? Answer: The child is
withdrawn and refuses to talk
Rational: Separation anxiety manifests in 3 stages; protest, despair,
and detachment. Withdrawal and lack of communication are
manifestations of the stage of despair.
,◉ A nurse is preparing to assess a 2-year-old toddler. Which of the
following behaviors should the nurse expect during the
examination? Answer: The child prefers to sit on the parent's lap
during the examination
Rational: Toddlers and infants who are able to sit typically prefer to
sit in their parents' lap throughout the examination
◉ A nurse is caring for a 3-year-old child who has a cyanotic cardiac
defect. The child cries when her parents leave the room. worsening
her cyanosis and dyspnea. Into which of the following positions
should the nurse place the child to improve these manifestations?
Answer: Knee-Chest
Rational: The knee-chest position, which is similar to squatting,
facilitates the oxygenation of the lungs. The nurse should assist the
child into this position to facilitate breathing
◉ A nurse is providing dietary teaching to the parent of a toddler
who has phenylketonuria. Which of the following foods should the
nurse recommend? Answer: Cooked carrots
Rational: The nurse should instruct the parent to offer the toddler
foods that are low in protein such as cooked carrots and fruits
, ◉ A nurse is caring for a preschooler who is immediately
postoperative following the removal of a brainstem tumor. Which of
the following actions should the nurse take? Answer: Monitor the
child's temperature every 30 minutes
Rational: The nurse should monitor the child's temperature every 15
to 30 minutes. Surgery on the brainstem can cause hyperthermia
◉ A nurse is assessing a 4-year-old child for growth and
developmental milestones during a well-child visit. Which of the
following findings suggests a possible delay in development?
Answer: Speaking using 2-or-3 word sentences
Rational: A 4-year-old child should be speaking in 4-to-5 word
sentences. Speaking in 2-to-3 word sentences is typical of a 2-year-
old child
◉ A nurse is discussing disciplinary techniques with the guardian of
a preschooler. Which of the following actions indicates to the nurse
that the guardian is using an age-appropriate disciplinary
technique? Answer: The guardian places the child in time-out after
misbehaving
Rational: The nurse should encourage the guardian to continue to
use time-out as a form of discipline. This technique is effective with a
preschooler if carried out correctly. The nurse should review the
