Growth and Development Q 36
The nurse is assessing a six-month-old child. Which developmental skills are normal and should be expected?
A. Pulling up to a standing position
B. Can feed self with a spoon
C. Sits alone
D. Speaks in short sentences
Correct Answer: C. Sits alone
A six-month-old child begins to sit alone without support, rolls over in both directions (front to back and vice versa), bounces when in a standing position, supports weight on legs, and rocks back and forth on hands and knees. To get ready, babies first prop themselves up with their hands, but over time they can start to let go and sit unsupported.
Option A: According to the Denver II Developmental Assessment milestone’s chart, infants can usually begin to pull to a standing position between 8 to 10 months. Most younger infants are able to stand up with support and bear some weight on their legs between 2 and 4 ½ months. This is an expected and safe developmental stage that will progress to pulling up independently and won’t cause them to have bow-legs.
Option B: Babies can start to use a spoon by themselves at around 10 to 12 months old. The child will continue to get better at using tools like spoons and forks. Give the child a chance to use spoons and forks—even if it is messy.
Option D: The child develops language skills between the ages of one and three. In order to communicate, children must know how to use the words they are learning. In this stage of language development, children are able to recognize the difference between nouns and verbs. Generally, the first words in a child’s vocabulary are nouns.