Question

The nurse is conducting a wellness visit with a 1-year-old child. The child weighed 8 pounds at birth. After the baby's weight is measured at 24 pounds, the mother states that the child is being put on a diet. What should the nurse respond to the mother at this time?

1) Children will eat whatever is put in front of them. Just reduce the amount of food each day.
2) That's a good idea because childhood obesity causes adult health problems.
3) Reducing calories now will ensure that the child will be healthier when starting school.
4) Your child is at an ideal weight. There is no need for a diet.

Answer 1

The nurse should educate the mother on healthy growth patterns and the importance of a balanced diet with adequate nutrition for a 1-year-old child while discouraging unnecessary dieting.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mother of a 1-year-old child who weighed 8 pounds at birth and now weighs 24 pounds is considering putting the child on a diet. The nurse is conducting a wellness visit, and it's important to provide appropriate advice. In this scenario, given that newborns typically triple their birth weight by one year and considering the average expected weight range of 20 to 40 pounds by 2 years old, the child's current weight does not necessarily indicate a need for a diet. Furthermore, infants and toddlers require adequate nutrition for proper growth and development, and diets restricting calories are generally not recommended without medical supervision.

The nurse should respond by ensuring the mother understands the importance of maintaining a balanced diet without significantly reducing calories. Instead, emphasizing the need for nutritious foods and possibly encouraging healthy eating habits along with adequate physical activity would be more beneficial. An appropriate response would be none of the options verbatim but rather a mixture of educating the mother on maintaining a healthy and balanced diet and monitoring the child's growth patterns through regular wellness visits.