NURS-646 e-Portfolio Paper

NURS 646 e-Portfolio Paper

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Student Name

Franklin University

NURS-646

Prof Name

Submission Date

e-Portfolio Paper

Pediatric wellness examinations are essential for child development. These tests help parents anticipate health difficulties, track developmental milestones, and spot potential health issues (Amit Aharon, 2022). Advanced practice nurses must grasp physical and developmental criteria and communicate with patients and families to conduct these evaluations. 

This paper will discuss a 5-year-old male patient’s physical and developmental milestones, a comprehensive wellness exam, and ways of communicating exam results, mental health concerns, and anticipatory guidance. This holistic approach emphasizes advanced practice ideas that set this degree of treatment apart from conventional practice. 

Physical and Developmental Milestones 

NURS 646 Physical Development 

At five, children grow and develop physically, which is important for their health and school preparedness. A 5-year-old boy should grow 2.5 inches tall and 4-5 pounds every year (Rogol & Reiter, 2022). This constant development shows that the child’s torso and limbs begin to resemble adults.

Developing motor skills is crucial at this age. Gross motor abilities like running, jumping, and climbing improve. Children can improve their balance and coordination, which are necessary for physical activity. Fine motor abilities also increase, significantly. A 5-year-old should be able to sketch, cut, and clothe themselves, showing dexterity and hand-eye coordination (Rogol & Reiter, 2022). 

Sensory and perceptual development are equally important. Coordination of vision and movement and depth perception increases environmental interaction. These bodily changes are necessary for the child’s growth and preparedness for school and daily life (Sánchez‐González et al., 2022). 

Cognitive Development 

Cognitive development at five includes significant linguistic and problem-solving gains. Most 5-year-olds know 2,000 words and utilize sophisticated sentences with appropriate grammar (Klein et al., 2022). They comprehend time, arithmetic, and cause and effect and can follow multi-step directions. Problem-solving skills are more advanced, and youngsters at this age like to solve puzzles and engage in basic games (Klein et al., 2022). 

Cognitive skills include language and abstract idea understanding, which are essential for schooling. At this stage, children understand past, present, and future and may play more imaginatively. As children learn to think logically and understand the world, they succeed academically and socially (Klein et al., 2022). 

Social-Emotional Development 

Social-emotional development is vital to a 5-year-old’s health (Malik & Marwaha, 2022). Children play together, share, and make friends at this age. They comprehend and express emotions well and can control their social conduct. They acquire empathy and can detect and respond to others’ feelings.

Independence is another milestone at this age. Children can dress, bathe, and do rudimentary chores. Their self-esteem and confidence improve as they gain independence, preparing them for school. Social skills like taking turns and following the rules are essential for their relationships with classmates and adults (Malik & Marwaha, 2022). 

Conducting a Wellness Exam 

Physical Exam 

Physical Assessment

An advanced practice nurse must provide a thorough physical evaluation to identify health concerns and ensure proper child development. Covering all child health elements requires a coordinated strategy (Reis et al., 2024).

General Appearance

Assessing the youngster starts with their looks. To ensure healthy growth, measure and record height, weight, and BMI and compare them to standardized growth charts. The child’s posture, skin, and disposition might reveal their health (Reis et al., 2024). 

Vital Signs

Vital signs are essential to the test. Measure temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure. These metrics assist in discovering hidden health concerns (Reis et al., 2024). Pulse and respiration abnormalities may signal cardiovascular or respiratory issues, respectively. 

Systematic Exam

Checking each physiological system is crucial. For example, screening the head for malformations, eyes for visual difficulties, ears for infections, and throat for irritation is crucial. Check the chest, heart, and belly for cardiac murmurs, lumps, or soreness (Moser et al., 2023). Check for rashes and anomalies in the skin and musculoskeletal system. 

Developmental Screening Tools

The Denver Developmental Screening Test and Ages and Stages Questionnaire assist in assessing a child’s development. These techniques structure a child’s physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development assessments. For instance, the Denver Developmental Screening Test assesses fine and gross motor abilities, language development, and personal-social skills to provide a complete developmental picture (Attell et al., 2020). 

The Functional Assessment 

Nutritional Status

Discussing eating with parents and reading growth charts helps assess the child’s nutritional health. A balanced diet for healthy growth is crucial for children (Marzieh Abdoli et al., 2023). Questions regarding the child’s eating habits, food preferences, and feeding issues assist in determining nutritional intake and deficits. 

Sleep Patterns

Evaluating sleep habits is essential since sleep is critical to infant development. A 5-year-old needs 10-12 hours of sleep every night (Sundell & Angelhoff, 2021). Discussing sleep habits and difficulties with parents helps children get enough rest. To support good sleep patterns, and treat sleep issues including insomnia, frequent awakening, and night terrors it is important to evaluate the sleep patterns of a child (Sundell & Angelhoff, 2021). 

Physical Activity

A child’s health depends on frequent exercise. A 5-year-old should exercise 60 minutes daily (Chaput et al., 2020). This includes sports and free play. Assessing the child’s physical activity and suggesting strategies to include more active play into their daily routine can help avoid juvenile obesity and promote fitness. 

Immunization Status

The wellness screening must include reviewing the child’s vaccination record. Protecting the child from infectious illnesses requires immunizations like MMR, DTaP, Varicella, and Polio (Rodrigues & Plotkin, 2020). Helping parents understand immunizations and address their worries can improve immunization compliance. 

Communicating Exam Results 

Talking to the Child 

Effective communication with a 5-year-old involves age-appropriate vocabulary and participation (National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, 2021). Simple explanations and visual aids might assist the youngster in grasping the exam. Example: showing them body component examination photos or having them handle the stethoscope while you listen to their heart. This reduces anxiety and comforts the youngster.

Communicating with Family 

Communicating medical results to the family is crucial to the wellness visit. To calm parents, advanced practice nurses should summarize the findings in-depth, starting with the positives. Before raising problems, emphasize how the youngster is growing and fulfilling most developmental milestones (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021). 

Strengths-based approaches improve family relationships. Explaining the significance of follow-up and providing parents with precise, written information when raising concerns is crucial (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021). Effective communication requires encouraging inquiries and ensuring parents understand everything regarding their child’s health.

Mental Health Issues and Preemptive Guidance 

Assessing Mental Health 

Good and sound mental health is important for a child’s overall well-being. At this age, hyperactivity, inattention, and aggressiveness screenings are crucial. Asking parents about their child’s home and school conduct might provide useful information. Discussing the child’s emotions, anxieties, and coping techniques helps detect underlying issues (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

Anticipatory Advice 

Expectant coaching helps parents prepare for problems and promotes healthy growth (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

Expectations for Behavior

It’s crucial to discuss discipline and social skills development. Positive reinforcement and consistent limits foster healthy conduct (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

Advice about Safety

Providing safety advice is vital. Safety tips include car seat use, safe play areas, and stranger danger education (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023). 

Promotion of Health

Promoting a balanced diet, moderate exercise, and one hour of screen time every day helps develop good behaviors (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).

The Documentation

Tracking the child’s health and growth requires accurate and complete documentation. Using standardized forms and electronic health records ensures that all assessments and findings are recorded systematically. Maintaining the child’s health records requires confidentiality and accuracy (Kawu et al., 2022). 

Conclusion

A comprehensive pediatric wellness screening monitors growth and development, detects health concerns early, and advises parents. Advanced practice nurses must integrate physical, cognitive, and social-emotional assessments to perform these tests. Understanding and following health advice requires good communication with the child and family. Helping with mental health issues and planning promotes the child’s general health. Thorough documentation supports continuing care and development by precisely tracking all elements of the child’s health.