Social-emotional development — MCQs

A mother brings her 4-year-old son to his pediatrician. Over the last eight months, her son has been exhibiting several "odd" behaviors. Most importantly, he repeatedly says that he is playing games with a friend named "Steven," though she is certain that he does not exist. She has often found him acting out magical scenarios as though someone else is present, when no one is there. What is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 6-month-old boy is brought to the physician for a well-child examination. The boy was born at term, and the pregnancy was complicated by prolonged labor. There is no family history of any serious illnesses. He can sit upright but needs help to do so and cannot roll over from the prone to the supine position. He can grasp his rattle and can transfer it from one hand to the other. He babbles. He cries if anyone apart from his parents holds him or plays with him. He touches his own reflection in the mirror. Vital signs are within normal limits. He is at the 40th percentile for head circumference, 30th percentile for length, and 40th percentile for weight. Physical examination reveals no abnormalities. Which of the following developmental milestones is delayed in this infant?

A 4-year-old boy is brought to the physician by his parents because of concerns about his behavior during the past year. His parents report that he often fails to answer when they call him and has regular unprovoked episodes of crying and screaming. At kindergarten, he can follow and participate in group activities, but does not follow his teacher's instructions when these are given to him directly. He is otherwise cheerful and maintains eye contact when spoken to but does not respond when engaged in play. He gets along well with friends and family. He started walking at the age of 11 months and can speak in two-to-three-word phrases. He often mispronounces words. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

A 6-month-old girl presents to an outpatient office for a routine physical. She can sit momentarily propped on her hands, babbles with consonants, and transfers objects hand to hand. The pediatrician assures the parents that their daughter has reached appropriate developmental milestones. Which additional milestone would be expected at this stage in development?

During subject selection for an infant neurological development study, a child is examined by the primary investigator. She is at the 80th percentile for length and weight. She has started crawling. She looks for dropped objects. She says mama and dada non-specifically. She can perform the pincer grasp. Which of the following additional skills or behaviors would be expected in a healthy patient of this developmental age?

A 3-year-old boy is brought in by his mother because she is concerned that he has been “acting differently recently”. She says he no longer seems interested in playing with his friends from preschool, and she has noticed that he has stopped making eye contact with others. In addition, she says he flaps his hands when excited or angry and only seems to enjoy playing with objects that he can place in rows or rigid patterns. Despite these behaviors, he is meeting his language goals for his age (single word use). The patient has no significant past medical history. He is at the 90th percentile for height and weight for his age. He is afebrile and his vital signs are within normal limits. A physical examination is unremarkable. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis in this patient?

A 4-year-old girl is brought to the pediatrician by her parents after her mother recently noticed that other girls of similar age talk much more than her daughter. Her mother reports that her language development has been abnormal and she was able to use only 5–6 words at the age of 2 years. Detailed history reveals that she has never used her index finger to indicate her interest in something. She does not enjoy going to birthday parties and does not play with other children in her neighborhood. The mother reports that her favorite “game” is to repetitively flex and extend the neck of a doll, which she always keeps with her. She is sensitive to loud sounds and starts screaming excessively when exposed to them. There is no history of delayed motor development, seizures, or any other major illness; perinatal history is normal. When she enters the doctor’s office, the doctor observes that she does not look at him. When he gently calls her by her name, she does not respond to him and continues to look at her doll. When the doctor asks her to look at a toy on his table by pointing a finger at the toy, she looks at neither his finger nor the toy. The doctor also notes that she keeps rocking her body while in the office. Which of the following is an epidemiological characteristic of the condition the girl is suffering from?

A 2-year-old girl is brought to the physician by her mother for a well-child examination. She is at the 55th percentile for height and the 40th percentile for weight. Vital signs are within normal limits. Physical examination shows no abnormalities. She is able to follow simple commands, such as “close your eyes, then stick out your tongue,” but she is unable to follow 3-step commands. She knows approximately 75 words, and half of her speech is understandable. She can say 2-word phrases, and she is able to name many parts of the body. Assuming normal development, which of the following milestones would be expected in a patient this age?

A 3-month-old girl with an immunodeficiency syndrome has been hospitalized for 1 month due to a severe pulmonary infection. Her family came to visit her daily in the beginning of her hospital stay; however, since their car broke down they have been unable to visit for the last 2 weeks. While the infection has now been resolved with proper treatment and supportive care, the girl's nurse is concerned that the patient is becoming increasingly withdrawn. Specifically, the nurse has noticed that since the family has stopped visiting, the girl seems to shy away from contact and sometimes even becomes unresponsive to verbal or visual cues. Which of the following is most likely true about this infant's condition?

A male child is presented at the pediatric clinic for a well-child visit by his mother who reports previously normal developmental milestones. The child was born at 40 weeks with no complications during pregnancy or birth. The mother notes that the infant is able to sit without support. He is able to feed himself crackers and pureed food. He is constantly shaking his toy teddy bear but is able to stop when the mother says 'no'. Which of the following indicate the most likely language milestone the child presents with?