Pediatric Nursing Q 195
Mandy, age 12, is brought to the clinic for evaluation for a suspected eating disorder. To best assess the effects of role and relationship patterns on the child’s nutritional intake, the nurse should ask:
A. “What activities do you engage in during the day?”
B. “Do you have any allergies to foods?”
C. “Do you like yourself physically?”
D. “What kinds of food do you like to eat?”
Correct Answer: C. “Do you like yourself physically?”
Role and relationship patterns focus on body image and the patient’s relationship with others, which are commonly interrelated with food intake. Eating behaviors evolve during the first years of life; children learn what, when, and how much to eat through direct experiences with food and by observing the eating behaviors of others.
Option A: Parents influence children’s eating behavior in a variety of ways: parents actively make food choices for the family, serve as models for dietary choices and patterns, and use feeding practices to reinforce the development of eating patterns and behaviors that they deem appropriate.
Option B: Questions about food allergies elicit information about health and illness patterns. Parents who are concerned about their child’s diet may attempt to limit what and how much food is eaten, pressure their child to eat a healthier diet or reward their child for eating healthy foods, practices which may all lead to unintended consequences.
Option C: Questions about activities and food preferences elicit information about health promotion and health protection behaviors. Children also learn about food by observing the eating behaviors modeled by others. For example, research reveals that children’s intake of fruits, vegetables, and milk increased after observing adults consuming the foods.