Chapter 15 an overview of growth, development, and nutrition study guide answers

The family has been defined in many different ways and fulfills many different purposes. Generally, a family is defined as two or more person’s living and interacting together. Traditionally, the nuclear family, or biological family, has been the basic unit of structure in American society (mother, father, siblings). Today many nuclear families do not share the same household because of single parenthood, divorce, and remarriage. Kinship lines have become blurred, and fundamental changes from what was once perceived as standard are occurring in the family. The extended family refers to three generations: grandparents, parents, and children. Because of an increasing life span, however, there are a greater number of living grandparents and great-grandparents, and the proportion of them living in the family home may increase. Table 15-1 lists the various types of families and gives a description of each.

Table 15-1

Variations of Family Living

*Not all family types may be legally sanctioned. A family is two or more persons who live and interact together.

The interactions of family unit members are by far the most influential aspect of family life in the growth and development of the child. The nurse must understand the interaction of the family unit to be able to effect a positive change that may be necessary to prevent or treat childhood illnesses. Some families have solid support systems and use available community resources to maintain health. Other families may lack support systems and require closer follow-up care and encouragement by the health team. Parenting is a learned behavior, often modeled by past experience and modified by the acceptance of specific roles and responsibilities. A family that does not provide for the optimum physical, psychological, and emotional health of the children is called a dysfunctional family. A dysfunctional family does not necessarily imply that its members are not loving and caring. A dysfunctional family does not know how to be successful in its efforts and interactions and requires intervention.

Historically, in middle-class families the father was the breadwinner and the mother managed the home and raised the children. This model has shifted. Because of changing economic conditions, both parents’ earnings may be necessary to maintain the family’s standard of living. In dual-career families both the father and the mother are often absent for most of the day because of long commutes or the demands of the working environment. Both parents may share child care and domestic chores. The parents may need to transfer to different locations to maintain their careers. This decreases extended family support and makes it necessary for children to change schools frequently.

Divorce, separation, death, and pregnancy outside marriage create many one-parent families. The percentage of children living in single-parent families has more than doubled since the 1970s. Most single-wage families have an economic disadvantage, but families with women as the sole wage earner often have considerably lower incomes than those in which men are the sole wage earner. The problem of providing good, affordable child care is a serious one for both dual-career families and single parents. Relatives and the noncustodial parent may assist in raising the child. Many single parents remarry, creating the blended family. The addition may be merely a stepfather or stepmother, or two families may unite. These family units must make many adjustments. To succeed, parents and children have to learn problem-solving techniques, communication skills, and flexibility.

A family APGAR, first described by Smilkstein and colleagues (1984), is a tool that can be used as a guide to assess family functioning. This assessment is valuable in determining the approach to home care needs:

Questions concerning each of these areas should be posed and evaluated. The goal in family assessment is to enable the nurse to develop interventions that aid the family to achieve a healthier adaptation to the child’s health needs or problems.

An infant who is hypersensitive to noise or touch needs the parent to understand the need for quiet surroundings. A chronically depressed parent may interpret fussiness or lack of smiling as rejection. Therefore an assessment of parent-child interaction is essential in the home, clinic, or hospital setting.

When we note that infant can lift her head before she can sit we are citing an example of what type of development?

What toy is developmentally appropriate for the nurse to suggest a 5 year old child?

At which age would the nurse expect permanent dentition to erupt EAQ?

How many erupted teeth would the nurse expect a healthy 8 month old infant to have quizlet?