American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
T-Z: 10-12 months
A parent/caregiver has brought their infant to your Community Health Center. Based on your assigned age group, what will you assess to determine health and development status of the infant? Describe the normal findings you would anticipate for each area assessed. Select one area that could be a "red flag" finding. Discuss the recommendations that you would give the parent/caregiver supported by evidence-based practice to address this "red flag" finding.
Sample Solution
Assessment for a 10-12 Month Old Infant
Areas of Assessment:
- Motor Development:
- Gross motor skills: Walking independently, climbing stairs with assistance, standing without support, sitting from standing.
- Fine motor skills: Pincer grasp, picking up small objects, transferring objects from one hand to another.
- Cognitive Development:
- Object permanence: Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.
Full Answer Section
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- Problem-solving: Exploring the environment, experimenting with cause-and-effect relationships.
- Social and Emotional Development:
- Attachment: Secure attachment to caregiver, showing separation anxiety.
- Play: Engaging in solitary play and beginning to engage in parallel play with other children.
- Emotions: Expressing a wider range of emotions, including anger, fear, and joy.
- Sensory Development:
- Vision: Tracking objects with eyes, recognizing familiar faces.
- Hearing: Responding to sounds, turning head toward noises.
Normal Findings:
- Motor: Most infants in this age group should be able to walk independently, climb stairs with assistance, and stand without support. They should also have a refined pincer grasp and be able to pick up small objects.
- Cognitive: Infants should understand object permanence and be curious about exploring their environment. They may begin to say simple words and understand basic commands.
- Social and Emotional: Infants should have a secure attachment to their caregiver and show separation anxiety. They may begin to engage in parallel play and express a wider range of emotions.
- Sensory: Infants should have good vision and hearing, responding to sounds and recognizing familiar faces.
Potential "Red Flag" Finding:
- Delayed language development: If the infant is not saying any words or understanding simple commands, this could be a red flag indicating a potential language delay.
Recommendations:
If a language delay is suspected, the parent/caregiver should be encouraged to consult with a pediatrician or speech-language pathologist for further evaluation. Early intervention is crucial for addressing language delays and improving communication skills. The following evidence-based recommendations may be given:
- Language stimulation: Engaging in interactive play activities that encourage language development, such as reading books, singing songs, and talking to the infant frequently.
- Professional evaluation: Seeking a comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist to determine the extent of the language delay and develop appropriate intervention strategies.
- Early intervention services: Enrolling the infant in early intervention programs that provide specialized support for language development.
By addressing language delays early, parents can help their children develop strong communication skills and improve their overall development.