Various children are being seen in the clinic for well-baby checks. By what age should a nurse expect a child to begin to use simple words to communicate needs?

1. A

   Age 10-12 months

2. B

   Age 1-2 years

3. C

   Age 6-9 months

4. D

   Age 2-3 year

Appeared in: AIIMS Delhi NO - 2017

Explanation

• The age range of 10-12 months is when infants typically say their first meaningful words, such as "mama" or "dada," directed specifically at a parent.
• This marks the beginning of expressive language, where a word is used to communicate a specific need or desire (e.g., wanting a parent's attention).
• Developmental guidelines indicate the mean age for a child's first word is approximately 11 months.
• By 12 months, an infant's vocabulary may include 3 to 5 words, which they use to interact with their environment and caregivers.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This age range represents a period of significant vocabulary growth and the transition from single words to two-word phrases. It is a time of language consolidation and expansion, not the beginning of word use.
• Option C: At 6-9 months, infants are primarily in the babbling stage. They imitate sounds and tones but do not yet attach specific meaning to the sounds to form words.
• Option D: By age 2-3 years, children have moved well beyond simple words and are typically using multi-word sentences to communicate complex needs and ideas.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Pediatric developmental milestones, specifically expressive language development to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
• Nurses play a crucial role in assessing developmental milestones during well-baby checks to identify potential delays early.
• Educating parents on age-appropriate milestones helps them support their child's development and recognize when to seek professional advice.
• A significant delay in language development can be an early sign of hearing impairment, developmental disorders, or other underlying conditions requiring intervention.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the age when a child begins to use simple words for communication.
• The keyword 'begin' is critical. It directs you to look for the onset of the skill, not when it is fully developed or mastered.
• Recall the typical sequence of language development: crying -> cooing -> babbling -> first words -> phrases -> sentences.
• Evaluate each option against this timeline. 6-9 months is the babbling stage (too early). 1-2 years and 2-3 years are stages of vocabulary expansion and sentence formation (too late for the 'beginning').
• The 10-12 month range aligns with the emergence of the first meaningful words, making it the most accurate answer for the onset of this milestone.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Pediatric developmental milestones, specifically expressive language development.
• Stem keywords: children, well-baby checks, age, begin, simple words, communicate needs
• Lead-in keywords: By what age
• Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

Question ID

QfH5arEZOAGOTMSTHR3MP7

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Kaplan Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry-2022 (pp 1-3768 of 3768) p. 349-351

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 174-176