Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Chronic Illness and Disability Related

Review Brunner & Suddarth's Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing 14e (Hinkle 2017) - Chronic Illness and Disability related questions and content

A 19-year-old patient with a diagnosis of Down syndrome is being admitted to your unit for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia. When planning this patients care, the nurse recognizes that this patients disability is categorized as what?

  • A. A sensory disability
  • B. A developmental disability
  • C. An acquired disability
  • D. An age-associated disability
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Developmental disabilities are those that occur any time from birth to 22 years of age and result in impairment of physical or mental health, cognition, speech, language, or self-care. Examples of developmental disabilities are spina bifida, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and muscular dystrophy. Acquired disabilities may occur as a result of an acute and sudden injury, acute nontraumatic disorders, or progression of a chronic disorder. Age-related disabilities are those that occur in the elderly population and are thought to be due to the aging process. A sensory disability is a type of a disability and not a category.