NRS-434VN Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant
Consider the following patient scenario: A mother comes in with 9-month-old girl. The infant is 68.5cm in length (25th percentile per CDC growth chart), weighs 6.75kg (5th percentile per CDC growth chart), and has a head circumference of 43cm (25th percentile per CDC growth chart).
Describe the developmental markers a nurse should assess for a 9-month-old female infant. Discuss the recommendations you would give the mother. Explain why these recommendations are based on evidence-based practice.
Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant – NRS-434VN Topic 1 DQ 2 SAMPLE 1
Some developmental markers the nurse can assess include social/emotional milestones, language/communication milestones, cognitive milestones, movement/physical development milestones. Also, paying attention to fine motors kills and Gross motor skill. These milestones are emphasized in the learning development of the child. For the assessment of a 9-month-old baby the expected milestones are as followed: (CDC,2023)
Social/Emotional Milestones:
- Babies tend to be shy, clingy, and fearful of strangers.
- Shows facial expressions of being happy, sad, angry, and surprised.
- Reacts when parents leave the room (crying and looking for you).
Language/Communication Milestones:
- Starts to make different sounds.
- Lifts arms to show she want to be picked up.
Cognitive Milestones:
- Look for objects that are out of sight.
- Bangs toys together.
Movement/physical development Milestones:
- Gets to a sitting position by herself.
- Can move things from one hand to another.
- Sits without support. (CDC, 2023)
Fine Motor Skills: (Green, 2022 p.9)
- Bring objects to the table.
- Feed herself finger foods.
Gross Motor Skills:
- Crawls
- Stands while holding onto a support.
- Makes stepping movements (Green,2022 p.9)
Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant – NRS-434VN Topic 1 DQ 2.
During the examination of the baby’s body, the nurse should also check how the baby looks overall, whether they’re getting enough food, how clean they are, how awake and aware they seem, their body position, and how they move, among other things. Checking on the baby’s health is really important for giving them good care. Knowing how babies grow and develop can help us figure out if the baby might be slower in growing physically, developing socially and mentally, or reaching important milestones. Making sure babies stay healthy from the start helps prevent problems later on in life.
For this baby who is 9 months old, she seems to be growing slower than usual. Looking at the growth chart from the CDC helps us see how the baby is growing. Teaching the parents about these things is important so they can tell if their baby might be having any problems with how they’re growing and developing. I’d suggest the mom keeps working with the baby’s doctor and together they can come up with a plan to help. Starting interventions early can really help the baby. I’d also suggest the family spend time playing with the baby in ways that help her small and big movements. Giving them information that’s based on good evidence is important so they know the best ways to take care of their baby. Making sure the information is easy to understand is also important so they get everything they need to know.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023a, June 6). Important milestones: Your baby by nine months. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/milestones-9mo.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2001, August 23). Growth charts – data table of infant length-for-age charts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/html_charts/lenageinf.htm
Falkner, A., & Green, S. Z. (2022). Health Assessment: Foundation for Effective Practice (Second). Grand Canyon University.
NURS-6512N WEEK 2 DIVERSITY AND HEALTH ASSESSMENTS DISCUSSION
Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant – NRS-434VN Topic 1 DQ 2 sample 2
During the initial 9 to 12 months after birth, babies go through a lot of changes in both their bodies and minds. These changes have a big impact on how they feel and how healthy they are as they grow up. It’s really important to check carefully to see if they’re developing as they should be and if they need any extra help to stay healthy (Green, 2022). A healthy baby at around nine months old should be able to do things like play with toys, sit up on their own, move around on their hands and knees, pick things up, try to stand, and explore what’s around them (Green, 2022). By this age, they should weigh two or three times as much as when they were born and be about 10 to 12 inches longer (Mayo Clinic, 2022).
They should also be starting to make sounds, laugh, copy sounds they hear, and understand simple things people say to them.
According to the CDC’s growth chart, the baby being talked about is smaller than many other babies their age, both in length and weight. So, it’s really important to make sure they’re getting the right kind of food to help them grow well. To help them develop physically, it’s suggested that the mom keeps breastfeeding while starting to give them soft foods with iron, like small pieces of fruit, mashed egg yolk, soft vegetables, crackers, and toast (AAP, 2012). It’s also important to talk to the baby, let them spend time on their tummy, get them vaccinated, and spend time with them. All of these things help them grow up strong and happy.
These suggestions, like making sure babies are safe from accidents, giving them good food, taking care of their teeth, and making sure they get their shots, are all based on what research has shown works best. For example, some ways to keep babies safe, like not giving them honey or corn syrup, help keep them from getting really sick. And not giving them certain nuts helps stop them from choking, which has been proven through research to be important for keeping babies healthy and safe. Also, giving them vaccines helps stop them from getting sick from different diseases, which everyone can see is true. Checking how babies are developing and using tools based on research helps catch any problems early and get them treated before they get worse (Green, 2022).
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2012). Breastfeeding and the use of human milk. Pediatrics, 129(3).
Green, S. (2022). Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice. Chapter 1. Health Assessment of the Infant. Retrieved from https://lc.gcumedia.com/nrs434vn/health-assessment-foundations-for-effective-practice/v1.1/#/chapter/1.
Mayo Clinic. Infant and toddler health: Expert answers. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/expert-answers/infant-growth/faq-20058037.
Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant – NRS-434VN Topic 1 DQ 2 sample 3
To start the evaluation of a nine-month-old girl, I would first ask her mother if she has any worries about her daughter’s health and how she’s growing. Also, I’d find out when the baby was born and how much she weighed at birth. It’s important to keep an eye on how much weight the baby is gaining to make sure it’s going up and not down. My main concern for this baby is that her length and head size are around the 25th percentile, which is normal but a bit lower, while her weight is at the 5th percentile, meaning she weighs less than most babies her age. I’d talk with the mom about what the baby is eating and suggest ways to make sure she’s getting enough calories (CDC, 2022).
In checking the nine-month-old girl’s development, as a nurse, I’d also look at how well she’s moving to see how she’s growing. At this age, a baby should be able to do lots of things like hitting objects on a table, moving things from one hand to another, feeding herself with her fingers, crawling, sitting up without help, getting into a sitting position, pulling herself up to stand, standing while holding onto something, taking steps, drinking from a cup with help, poking at things with her finger, picking up small objects with her thumb and finger, scribbling with a crayon or marker, and taking things out of a container. While not all babies do all of these things at nine months, they should be able to do them by the time they’re a year old (Grand Canyon University, 2022).
I’d also look at how the baby is learning to talk. At nine months, she should be making sounds, laughing, blowing bubbles, and understanding simple words like “no.” She might also try to copy sounds, like saying “mama” or “dada,” even if she doesn’t know exactly what they mean yet. To check how well she’s doing with talking and other things she should be learning, I might use tools like the Denver Developmental Screening Test II, Infant Development Inventory, or Bayley Infant Neurodevelopmental Screener. These tools help see how well she’s moving, talking, and learning based on what’s been proven to work best. If the baby seems to be behind on any of these things, it’s important for me to talk to her regular doctor or find other ways to help her, like early learning programs (Grand Canyon University, 2022).
References
CDC. (2022, December 12). Clinical growth charts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/clinical_charts.htm
Grand Canyon University. (2022). Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice. Health Assessment of the Infant. https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/1000000000584/epub/Imprint.html
Developmental markers for a 9-month-old female infant – NRS-434VN Topic 1 DQ 2 sample 4
When observing a nine-month-old baby girl, it’s important to look at how she’s developing, especially in terms of her movements and language skills. At this age, she should be starting to do things like picking up objects and moving them from one hand to the other, feeding herself finger foods, and poking at things with her fingers for her fine motor skills (Green, 2022). In terms of gross motor skills, she should be starting to crawl, sit up without needing support, and be able to stand with support and bounce a little (Green, 2022).
Language development is also key at this age. Between six to nine months, babies typically start making sounds like babbling, laughing, and blowing bubbles (Green, 2022). By nine to twelve months, they might be able to understand simple commands and try to copy sounds like “mama” and “dada” (Green, 2022).
For nurses assessing a nine-month-old girl, incorporating simple games like peekaboo can be helpful. Babies at this age often have a fear of strangers, so it’s important to approach them gently. It’s also a good time to see how the baby and caregiver interact (Green, 2022).
In a specific case where a mother brings in her nine-month-old daughter, if the baby’s length is in the 25th percentile, weight in the 5th percentile, and head circumference in the 25th percentile according to CDC growth charts, it may indicate malnutrition. This could be why her length and head size are lower than average. Based on CDC guidelines supported by evidence-based practice, it’s important to start introducing other foods besides breast milk or formula, such as infant cereal, fruits, vegetables, and protein (CDC, 2021). The CDC provides guidance on when to start introducing solid foods, which can be a challenging transition for parents, especially considering teething discomfort and pain in infants of this age. Addressing any barriers to this transition is essential for the baby’s health and development.
Reference:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, December 1). Foods and drinks for 6 to 24 month olds. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/index.html
Green, Z. S. (2022). Health Assessment of the Infant. Health Assessment: Foundations for Effective Practice. Grand Canyon University. https://bibliu.com/app/#/view/books/1000000000584/epub/Chapter1.html#page_5
