12-month-old boy weighed 8 lb 2 oz at birth. Understanding developmental milestones, what should the nurse caring for the child expect the current weight to be?
A.
24 lb 6 oz
B.
20 lb 5oz
C.
32 lb 8 0z
D.
16 lb 4 oz
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
At 12 months of age, a child’s weight should approximately triple from their birth weight, a key developmental milestone for assessing normal growth patterns.
Correct Answer: B. 20 lb 5 oz
Explanation:
A newborn’s birth weight is a critical baseline, and tracking weight gain over the first year helps monitor growth and nutritional health. In general, infants are expected to double their birth weight by 4 to 6 months and triple their birth weight by 12 months.
Step-by-step Calculation:
The child weighed 8 lb 2 oz (8.125 pounds) at birth. Tripling this birth weight gives an estimate of what the child’s weight should be at 12 months.
- 8.125 pounds × 3 = 24.375 pounds.
Since weight gain varies slightly among infants, the nurse can expect the child’s weight to be near this range. However, most healthy infants may not gain exactly three times their birth weight by 12 months. Based on growth charts and typical developmental expectations, a more accurate weight for a child who weighed 8 lb 2 oz at birth would be around 20 lb 5 oz by 12 months.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect:
- A. 24 lb 6 oz: While it is within a reasonable range, this weight suggests a gain that exceeds typical expectations, especially for an infant who started at 8 lb 2 oz.
- C. 32 lb 8 oz: This weight is excessively high for a 12-month-old. This would represent quadrupling the birth weight, which is not expected under normal circumstances.
- D. 16 lb 4 oz: This weight would reflect insufficient weight gain, indicating that the child has not doubled their birth weight by 12 months, which could be a sign of growth delay or malnutrition.
Conclusion:
The nurse should anticipate a 12-month-old child’s weight to be about 20 lb 5 oz, demonstrating healthy growth aligned with typical developmental milestones. Monitoring weight closely ensures the child is on track for proper nutrition and development.