The infant's weight becomes triple from birth weight in:

Appeared in: Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Explanation

Infancy is a period of very rapid physical growth.
A key developmental milestone is the tripling of birth weight by the completion of the first year (12 months).
For an infant with an average birth weight of 3 kg, the expected weight at one year would be approximately 9 kg.
This milestone is a crucial indicator used to assess nutritional status and overall health.

Option B: At 2 years of age, an infant's birth weight is expected to quadruple (be four times the birth weight), not triple.
Option C: At 3 years, a child's weight is approximately five times their birth weight. The rate of weight gain slows down significantly after the first year.
Option D: This option is incorrect because a correct answer is available among the choices. The tripling of birth weight is a well-established milestone that occurs at 1 year.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Infant growth and development milestones as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Monitoring an infant's weight is a fundamental nursing responsibility to assess nutritional status, hydration, and overall well-being.
Plotting weight on a standardized growth chart (like those from WHO or IAP) helps in early identification of growth faltering (failure to thrive) or excessive weight gain.
What if? If an infant has not doubled their birth weight by 5-6 months or tripled it by 1 year, it is a red flag. The nurse must investigate further for potential issues like inadequate feeding, malabsorption, or underlying illness, and educate the parents on appropriate nutrition.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question: 'infant's weight', 'triple', and 'birth weight'.
This is a factual recall question that tests your knowledge of standard pediatric growth milestones.
Recall the expected pattern of weight gain during the first few years of life.
Remember the simple rule: weight doubles by 5 months, triples by 1 year, and quadruples by 2 years.
Compare this knowledge with the given options and select the one that matches the 'tripling' milestone.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Infant growth and development milestones
Stem keywords: infant, weight, triple, birth weight
Lead-in keywords: in:
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 10-12

E6 Anatomy Grays 43e Vol 1 Part 3 p. 15-17

E6 Physiology Ganong 27e Vol 2 Part 2 p. 25-27

Practise the full Combined AIIMS - 2020 (Jodhpur, Bhopal, Patna, Raipur)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.