The nurse caring for a preschool child understands which of the following developmental concepts? Select all that apply

Preschoolers have egocentric thought and believe that everyone thinks as they do.

Play can be therapeutic and enlightening into a child’s level of understanding.

Explanations are helpful when using detail to allay the preschooler’s stress.

Preschoolers understand inferences and can relate to others’ feelings with empathy.

Preschoolers have magical thinking and believe their thoughts have power.

Answer and Explanation

Correct Answer : A,B,E

Preschoolers (ages 3–5) are in Piaget’s preoperational stage, where they exhibit egocentrism, magical thinking, and limited logical reasoning. Understanding these concepts helps nurses and caregivers approach communication and education effectively.

Rationale for correct answers:

1. Egocentric thought is a hallmark of preschoolers. They often assume others see, think, and feel exactly as they do. This is a normal part of early cognitive development and limits their ability to adopt other perspectives.

2. Play as a tool is powerful in this age group. Through imaginative play and role-playing, preschoolers express feelings and demonstrate what they comprehend about the world around them. Nurses often use therapeutic play to reduce anxiety or assess a child's perception of illness or hospitalization.

5. Magical thinking is common in preschoolers. They may believe their thoughts or wishes cause real events. This can lead to feelings of guilt if something bad happens, as they might believe they caused it. Nurses must provide reassurance and clarification.

Rationale for incorrect answers:

3. Explanations with detail may be overwhelming. Preschoolers benefit from simple, concrete explanations. Using too much detail or abstract reasoning may increase confusion and stress rather than reduce it.

4. Understanding inferences and empathy is limited in this stage. While preschoolers may show basic concern if someone is sad, they do not yet fully grasp abstract feelings or make emotional inferences as older children or adults can. Their empathy is emerging but not mature.

Take home points

Preschoolers are egocentric and view the world from their own perspective.
Magical thinking can lead to misunderstandings about illness, death, or punishment.
Play is not just recreational, it’s a window into their cognitive and emotional world.
Explanations should be concrete, visual, and brief, avoiding abstract reasoning.

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Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Night terrors are a type of sleep disturbance common in preschool-aged children, usually occurring in the first few hours of sleep during deep (non-REM) stages. Unlike nightmares, the child is not fully awake and typically does not remember the event. The best approach is to let the episode pass without waking the child, while ensuring the environment is safe.

Rationale for correct answer:

3. Night terrors are self-limiting and usually resolve as the child matures. Waking the child during a night terror can be confusing or distressing and may prolong the episode. Offering reassurance afterward, if the child does wake up, is appropriate. Otherwise, observe quietly and ensure safety.

Rationale for incorrect answers:

1. Talking about fears during the day is more helpful for nightmares, not night terrors. Night terrors are not typically linked to daytime anxiety or specific fears, and the child does not remember the episode, so discussing it may be unhelpful.

2. A night light may help children afraid of the dark or experiencing nightmares, but it does not prevent night terrors, which occur during non-REM sleep and are not related to external stimuli like lighting.

4. Waking the child up and telling them they are safe is suited for nightmares, not night terrors. In a nightmare, the child wakes up and seeks comfort. In a night terror, the child appears awake but is actually in a deep sleep and will often not recognize or respond to others.

Take home points

Night terrors are common in preschoolers and usually go away without intervention.
During a night terror, the child is not fully awake and typically doesn’t recall the event.
Do not try to wake the child; instead, observe, ensure safety, and allow the episode to pass.
Distinguish between nightmares where the child wakes and remembers the dream, and night terrors where the child remains asleep and is unaware.

A. 10/10 B. 20/20 C. 20/40 D. 40/40

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Visual acuity refers to the clarity or sharpness of vision. Visual acuity improves with age, reaching 20/20 by approximately age 6–7. Early detection of vision problems is important to prevent conditions like amblyopia, which can be treated more effectively when caught early.

Rationale for correct answer:
3. At age 4, 20/40 vision is developmentally normal. This means the child can see at 20 feet what a person with perfect vision sees at 40 feet. It reflects typical visual development at this age.

Rationale for incorrect answers:

1. 10/10 is not a standard measurement in vision testing and is not used clinically in the U.S.

2. 20/20 vision is ideal but not expected for most 4-year-olds. While some may achieve it, it is more typical for older children, around 6 years and above.

4. 40/40 is not a valid or recognized measure of visual acuity. Standard measurements use 20 as the baseline.

Take home points

20/40 is normal visual acuity for a 4-year-old, with gradual improvement expected as the child grows.
Routine vision screening begins in the preschool years to identify early issues.
Nurses should recognize age-based norms to properly evaluate developmental progress and guide parental expectations.
Referral is needed if visual acuity is worse than age norms or if there's evidence of strabismus or other visual concerns.

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The nurse caring for a preschool child understands which of the following developmental concepts? Select all that apply

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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

Which result should a nurse expect if a 4-year-old child’s visual acuity test is normal for the child’s developmental age?

Correct Answer is C

Explanation

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