Anthropometric Measurements and Vital Signs
- Date of Birth: 11/04/2018.
- Sex: M.
- Height: 39.2″.
- Weight: 35.0lb.
- Blood Pressure: 106/92.
- Temperature: 97.7°F.
- Respiratory Rate: 28bpm.
- Pulse Rate: 98bpm.
Denver II Assessment
Assessment Summary
The patient under assessment is a 4-year-old male who exhibits normal physiological, psychological, cognitive, and social development. The child measures 39.2 inches in height and 35 pounds in weight. These measurements are within the average range for weight and height in males (“Normal growth,” 2022). The viral signs such as blood pressure, body temperature, respiratory rate, and pulse rate appear to be within the normal range at the time of assessment. The child has no complaints of physical pain or discomfort, is up to date on all the vaccinations, and has no diagnosed chronic conditions.
The Denver II assessment indicates that the child develops normally. In particular, the assessment shows that the child under examination has appropriate personal and social skills for his age. Specifically, he can take basic care of himself, such as using the toilet and washing hands without the help of an adult. He is comfortable playing and sharing with others, can pretend during activities, and adapts to different social settings (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Language development is within the norm, with the child reaching all milestones, speaking in sentences of four or more words, repeating songs and nursery rhymes, and asking questions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). However, the patient exhibits a short attention span that needs to be addressed and is easily distracted. Although he has developed some fine and gross motor skills, the patient struggles with copying and drawing, using scissors, running around obstacles, and throwing a ball.
Recommendations for Parents/Guardians
The assessment of the child indicates that his cognitive and physical development should be addressed. Specifically, the patient requires intervention concerning his attention span and motor skills, including fine and gross motor skills. The parents or guardians of the child should seek additional medical advice on the attention span issue. In particular, the child should be evaluated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, head injury, and autism in order to determine the cause of his short attention span (Santos-Longhurst, 2019). Parents should consider incorporating non-medication treatments into the child’s routine to improve his ability to focus on longer tasks. For example, research shows that an exercise regime, regular hydration, and behavioral therapy can positively affect one’s attention span (Santos-Longhurst, 2019). Thus, parents are recommended to implement these practices in order to help the patient increase his attention span.
The patient’s fine and gross motor skills should also be addressed. It should be noted that research indicates a correlation between motor skills and physical activity (Engel et al., 2018). Therefore, physical activity interventions can be implemented to improve the patient’s motor skills. The parents are recommended to consult a medical professional to ensure that the reason for the delay in the development of these skills is not physiological or neurological in nature. Thus, an individualized and targeted exercise regime or pharmacological intervention can be developed if the exact cause for the delay is known. Nevertheless, regular physical activity should be introduced into the child’s routine as it has many beneficial effects, including improved motor skills.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). What developmental milestones is your 4-year-old reaching? Web.
Engel, A. C., Broderick, C. R., Van Doorn, N., Hardy, L. L., & Parmenter, B. J. (2018). Exploring the relationship between fundamental motor skill interventions and physical activity levels in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Sports Medicine, 48(8), 1845-1857.
Normal growth. (2022). Children’s Wisconsin.
Santos-Longhurst, A. (2019). Short attention span: Signs, causes & ways to pay attention better. Healthline.