What would the nurse expect to see while assessing the growth of children during their school age years?
- A- Decreasing amounts of body fat and muscle mass
- B- Little change in body appearance from year to year
- C- Progressive height increase of 4 inches each year
- D- Yearly weight gain of about 5.5 pounds per year
Answer: D:
Yearly weight gain of about 5.5 pounds per year
School age children gain about 5.5 pounds each year and increase about 2 inches in height.
School age children gain about 5.5 pounds each year and increase about 2 inches in height.
The most likely thing a nurse would expect to see while assessing the growth of children during their school age years is:
D- Yearly weight gain of about 5.5 pounds per year
Here's why the other options are less likely:
A- Decreasing amounts of body fat and muscle mass:
This is more typical of adolescence, not the school-age years (6-12 years old).
B- Little change in body appearance from year to year:
While growth may slow down compared to early childhood, some changes are still expected in school-age children, such as gradual increases in height and weight.
C- Progressive height increase of 4 inches each year:
This is an overestimate of the average height gain for school-age children, which is typically around 2-3 inches per year.
It's important to remember that growth can vary significantly among individual children, and the nurse would consider factors like the child's age, genetics, nutrition, and overall health when assessing their growth. However, a steady weight gain of around 5.5 pounds per year is a good general indicator of healthy growth during the school-age years.
