Question

The nurse is providing education to a teen mother about her 20-month-old daughter's growth. The teen says her daughter seems to have such a big head. What information should the nurse include in the response?

A Teach the mother that this larger head than body appearance will be this way until B the child is about 6 years old.
C Share that the heads of children at this age are large in proportion to the rest of their body.
D Some children have large heads but that does not signal a problem.
Explain that the child looks normal.

Answer 1

Children often have heads that are large in proportion to their bodies, which is normal during early childhood. It is part of the normal growth and development pattern, and by age six, body proportions begin to change and the head size will appear less prominent.

Step-by-step explanation:

When educating a teen mother about her 20-month-old daughter’s appearance, it is important to include information about normal growth patterns and body proportions in young children. During infancy and early childhood, it’s quite common for a child’s head to seem large in proportion to their body. Specifically, children’s heads are large in relation to the rest of their body, and this is part of normal development. By age six, children’s body proportions begin to change, and their extremities grow longer relative to the trunk, making their heads appear less prominent compared to their overall size.

Infants and toddlers often have different growth rates and patterns, but it is helpful to reassure parents that variations in head size typically do not signal a problem. As a nurse, it’s also essential to explain that there is a wide range in what is considered normal and that rapid growth and development of the brain can contribute to the perception of larger head size at this age.