The mother brings her 18-month-old child to the clinic with concerns for developmental delay. She states, “She says ‘Mama’ and ‘Dada’, and ten or so other words. I keep working with her but I’m concerned she is falling behind.” Which response by the nurse is most appropriate?

“It’s good you are working with her. Being able to say that many words is developmentally appropriate.”. Being able to say more than 6 words at 18 months is developmentally appropriate. The mother is concerned, so reassuring her and praising her for working with her daughter fosters therapeutic communication. While it is true that it is recommended to screen children for autism at 18 months, this does not address the mother’s concern. Based on the mother’s description, the child is not developmentally behind at all, so to suggest she needs a few more months is not helpful or accurate. Although 12 words is an appropriate number for an 18-month-old, the nurse should not brush off the mother’s concerns by telling her not to be alarmed.

The mother brings her 18-month-old child to the clinic with conce...

Category: Health Promotion and Maintenance
Difficulty: 7

Topics: Communication & Documentation Growth & Development Health Screening Health Promotion Patient Education Pediatrics

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