Nurse Ls Ch15 - T3

Growth, in some form, continues throughout life, not just during puberty. Not all growth is based on gender. Growth indicates more than a change in height and weight.

A 1-year-old infant is expected to have at least doubled his or her weight by 12 months of age.

People experience developmental transitions throughout life, not just during times of rapid physical growth. Growth changes that take place in young, middle-aged, and older adults should be noted. People who think of growth only as it applies to infants, children and adolescents are missing important changes from conception throughout adulthood.

Although developmental milestones follow a predictable pattern, each child develops at his or her own rate. Telling the mother not to worry is not answering her question.

Characteristics of the conventional stage of Gilligan’s stages of moral development include sacrifice to fulfill the needs of others.

Research has demonstrated that toddlers who are exposed to videos and DVDs have a more limited vocabulary than toddlers who interact with caregivers.

Raisins, grapes, and chewing gum all pose a choking hazard and should not be given to toddlers.

When assessing growth data for use in growth charts, it is important to remember that a single measurement taken at one point in time, although helpful in providing a baseline, does not allow for the best assessment of a child’s growth. Serial measurements, plotted on a growth chart over time, best reflect a child’s pattern of growth.

It is not appropriate to discuss personal issues with an individual. Assuring the individual what he or she will be able to cope with is not appropriate because it does not encourage the person to talk about his or her fears. It is not appropriate to contact a support group without the person’s permission. The person may not be ready to discuss the issue with strangers. The correct response is part of grief work facilitation: helping another cope with painful feelings of actual or perceived responsibility.

Kohlberg’s theory of moral development is based on Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.

Erikson’s theory of development is based on the need of each person to develop a sense of trust in self and others and a sense of personal worth. Each stage depends on the preceding stage, which must be accomplished successfully for the person to proceed. Although the environment and others may influence development, it is primarily an individual task. A person may regress to an earlier stage during times of stress.

The goal of the conventional stage is gaining approval and avoiding disapproval. The goal of the preconventional stage is avoiding punishment and gaining reward, while the goal of the postconventional stage is agreeing upon rights, establishing personal moral standards, and achieving justice.

Vygotsky’s theory of development stresses that social and cultural influences can have a major impact on learning. He felt that cognitive development was dependent on exposure to many life experiences, was influenced by interaction with others, and did not proceed according to predetermined stages.

According to Erikson, a preschool child has a developmental conflict between initiative and guilt, a school-age child has a developmental conflict between industry and inferiority, and a young adult has a developmental conflict between intimacy and isolation. An adolescent has a developmental conflict between identity and role confusion.

The CDC recommends the revised 2000 CDC growth charts (including the BMI and the 3rd and 97th percentile) be used for children aged 2 to 20 years.

Genetics and genomics is an important part of our age of technology; understanding growth and development aids in the understanding of these topics as well. Health education is more effective when the nurse acknowledges and incorporates growth and developmental needs as well as the individual’s prior understanding of beliefs about health and health-related concepts. Health promotion is an important part of Healthy People 2010, but there are no requirements within this document that nurses need to be educated about growth and development.

Piaget theorized that cognitive development was complete by about age 15. He did not factor the effects of culture into his theory and felt that learning followed cognitive development.

Gilligan’s theoretical work is based on women’s moral development. Kohlberg postulated that men view situations in terms of justice and rules, and that moral development depends on cognitive development.

A well-balanced diet will help assure that the child reaches his or her growth potential. Lead poisoning, an environmental exposure, remains a significant threat to today’s children. Genetic factors greatly influence growth and development.

Children age 7 to 11 are in the concrete operations stage of development according to Piaget. They are influenced by friends and can listen to and think about a peer’s point of view. Moral decision making and use of abstract thought occur during the formal operations stage of development, usually between the ages of 11 and 15 years.