Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing 11th Edition Test Bank - Health Promotion of the Toddler and Family Related

Review Wong's Essentials of Pediatric Nursing 11th Edition Test Bank - Health Promotion of the Toddler and Family related questions and content

The parents of a 2-year-old child tell the nurse they are concerned because the toddler has started to use baby talk since the arrival of their new baby. What should the nurse recommend?

  • A. Ignore the baby talk.
  • B. Tell the toddler frequently, You are a big kid now.
  • C. Explain to the toddler that baby talk is for babies.
  • D. Encourage the toddler to practice more advanced patterns of speech.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Baby talk is a sign of regression in the toddler. Often toddlers attempt to cope with a stressful situation by reverting to patterns of behavior that were successful in earlier stages of development. It should be ignored while the parents praise the child for developmentally appropriate behaviors. Regression is childrens way of expressing stress. The parents should not introduce new expectations and allow the child to master the developmental tasks without criticism.