All Free Paediatric Nursing MCQs with Answers
Every Paediatric Nursing question in the bank, across all chapters, each with the correct answer and a written explanation. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
350 questions · page 10 of 18
- A. Weight
- B. Head circumference
- C. Body length
- D. Chest circumference
Explanation: Weight usually decreases or plateaus before length and head circumference are affected in nutritional growth faltering.
Correct answer: Weight- A. Smiling responsively at a caregiver
- B. Playing cooperatively with another child
- C. Following three-step instructions
- D. Showing stranger anxiety consistently
Explanation: A responsive social smile commonly appears by about 2 months and reflects early social development.
Correct answer: Smiling responsively at a caregiver- A. Showing stranger anxiety
- B. Using four-word sentences
- C. Dressing without assistance
- D. Taking turns in group play
Explanation: Stranger anxiety commonly appears during later infancy as attachment and recognition develop.
Correct answer: Showing stranger anxiety- A. Scribbling spontaneously
- B. Tying shoelaces independently
- C. Writing several letters
- D. Cutting accurately with scissors
Explanation: An 18-month-old commonly scribbles spontaneously as hand control improves.
Correct answer: Scribbling spontaneously185. Developmental delay is best described as failure to achieve expected milestones in which situation?
- A. One isolated activity for one week
- B. One or more areas at an age-appropriate rate
- C. Several areas after a single difficult day
- D. A skill that differs from a sibling's skill
Explanation: Developmental delay means that a child is not achieving expected skills at the usual rate in one or more developmental domains.
Correct answer: One or more areas at an age-appropriate rate- A. Hearing assessment
- B. Blood pressure measurement
- C. Abdominal circumference
- D. Daily fluid balance
Explanation: Hearing impairment can interfere with language development and may imitate a primary communication delay.
Correct answer: Hearing assessment187. Which finding most strongly suggests familial short stature rather than an active disease process?
- A. Height remains low but follows a steady curve
- B. Height falls rapidly across percentile lines
- C. Weight loss occurs with chronic diarrhoea
- D. Growth slows with persistent fatigue
Explanation: A child with familial short stature may remain short but usually grows at a normal velocity along a consistent percentile curve.
Correct answer: Height remains low but follows a steady curve- A. Normal variation in maturation
- B. Developmental regression requiring prompt evaluation
- C. Temporary learning difference needing no review
- D. Expected behaviour during a growth spurt
Explanation: Loss of acquired skills is developmental regression and is not considered a normal variation.
Correct answer: Developmental regression requiring prompt evaluation- A. Talking, reading, and responding during play
- B. Leaving the child alone with a television
- C. Correcting every word before the child speaks
- D. Restricting play to silent educational videos
Explanation: Responsive talking, reading, and play provide interaction, language modelling, and opportunities for problem solving.
Correct answer: Talking, reading, and responding during play- A. Likely familial growth pattern
- B. Definite growth hormone deficiency
- C. Acute protein-energy malnutrition
- D. Severe developmental regression
Explanation: Short parents and a steady height curve with normal weight gain support familial short stature.
Correct answer: Likely familial growth pattern- A. Birth length usually doubles by 2 years of age
- B. Birth length usually doubles by 4 years of age
- C. Birth length usually doubles by 6 years of age
- D. Birth length usually doubles by 10 years of age
Explanation: A child’s birth length usually doubles by about 4 years of age. Doubling by 2 years refers more closely to the expected pattern for birth…
Correct answer: Birth length usually doubles by 4 years of age- A. The anterior fontanelle is usually widely open
- B. The chest circumference is usually smaller than the head
- C. The chest circumference is usually about equal to the head
- D. The posterior fontanelle is usually larger than the anterior
Explanation: By about 12 months, chest circumference usually becomes approximately equal to head circumference.
Correct answer: The chest circumference is usually about equal to the head- A. Walking independently across a room
- B. Sitting without support for a short period
- C. Climbing stairs while holding a rail
- D. Jumping with both feet from the floor
Explanation: Many healthy infants can sit without support at around 6 to 8 months. Independent walking, stair climbing, and jumping develop later and…
Correct answer: Sitting without support for a short period- A. Observe the child during a usual feeding
- B. Measure the child’s chest circumference
- C. Test the child’s deep tendon reflexes
- D. Assess the child’s ability to copy a circle
Explanation: Direct observation of feeding can identify poor attachment, unsafe feeding technique, prolonged meals, or inadequate intake.
Correct answer: Observe the child during a usual feeding- A. Reassure the family that no follow-up is needed
- B. Repeat or review the screening according to local protocol
- C. Diagnose a developmental disorder immediately
- D. Begin medication for the suspected developmental problem
Explanation: A borderline screening result is not a diagnosis and should be reviewed, repeated, or followed by a focused assessment according to…
Correct answer: Repeat or review the screening according to local protocol- A. Regular responsive interaction with caregivers
- B. A balanced diet with adequate sleep
- C. Persistent untreated hearing impairment
- D. Opportunities for safe play and exploration
Explanation: Untreated hearing impairment can affect speech, language, learning, and social interaction.
Correct answer: Persistent untreated hearing impairment- A. The appearance of the first primary tooth
- B. The closure of the posterior fontanelle
- C. Learning to use a spoon through repeated practice
- D. The natural increase in head size during infancy
Explanation: Learning results from experience, teaching, and practice, so using a spoon is a learned skill.
Correct answer: Learning to use a spoon through repeated practice- A. Place the tape below the eyebrows and under the chin
- B. Place the tape over the maximum occipital and frontal points
- C. Place the tape around the neck below the occiput
- D. Place the tape across the nose and under the lower jaw
Explanation: The tape is placed around the largest circumference of the head, passing over the most prominent part of the occiput and the frontal area…
Correct answer: Place the tape over the maximum occipital and frontal points- A. The pattern may indicate inadequate recent caloric intake
- B. The pattern confirms a normal weight for the child’s height
- C. The pattern proves a primary endocrine disorder
- D. The pattern indicates isolated enlargement of the head
Explanation: Low weight-for-height with relatively preserved height can suggest recent or current undernutrition.
Correct answer: The pattern may indicate inadequate recent caloric intake- A. Maturation without environmental influence
- B. Learning through experience and practice
- C. Growth measured by body length
- D. A fixed genetic sequence without variation
Explanation: Riding a tricycle is a learned motor skill that develops through practice, instruction, and opportunity.
Correct answer: Learning through experience and practice