Pediatric Growth and Development Flashcards
7 cards from real MCCQE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pediatric Growth and Development flashcards as text
A 9-month-old infant cannot sit without support and does not transfer objects between hands. Which developmental domain is most delayed?
Answer: Gross motor
Sitting without support is a gross motor milestone expected by 6–7 months; failure to achieve this by 9 months indicates gross motor delay.
A 3-year-old boy is at the 5th percentile for height. His growth velocity over the past year was 5 cm. Which finding would most suggest constitutional growth delay over growth hormone deficiency?
Answer: Bone age delayed by 2 years with normal growth velocity
Constitutional growth delay is characterized by delayed bone age with a normal growth velocity and a family history of late puberty.
Which Tanner stage describes the onset of breast development (thelarche) in females?
Answer: Tanner stage 2
Tanner stage 2 marks the beginning of breast development with a small breast bud, signaling the start of puberty in girls.
A 2-year-old uses 2-word phrases and has a vocabulary of 50 words. Which assessment is most appropriate?
Answer: Reassure parents; development is normal
By age 2, children are expected to have at least 50 words and use 2-word combinations, so this child's language development is within normal limits.
At what age does a child typically develop the pincer grasp (thumb-forefinger apposition)?
Answer: 9 months
The mature pincer grasp develops around 9–10 months, allowing precise grasping of small objects between thumb and index finger.
A 15-year-old girl has not yet had her first menstrual period but has Tanner stage 4 breast development and pubic hair. What is the most appropriate next step?
Answer: Reassure; primary amenorrhea is defined as no menses by age 16 with secondary sexual characteristics
Primary amenorrhea is defined as no menses by age 15 in the presence of secondary sexual characteristics, so this 15-year-old does not yet meet diagnostic criteria.
Which reflex is abnormal if still present at 6 months of age?
Answer: Moro reflex
The Moro (startle) reflex normally disappears by 4–6 months; persistence beyond 6 months suggests central nervous system pathology.