1.) A child with autism is being admitted to the hospital for diagnostic tests.

The nurse
should assign this child to a:
a.) private room
b.) semiprivate room
c.) four-bed ward room
d.) contact isolation room
Answer: a
Autistic children are unable to relate to persons or respond to social/emotional cues.
Private rooms provide control of visual and auditory distractions.

2.) When planning school interventions for a child with a diagnosis of attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, a guide to remember is to:
A. provide as much structure as possible for the child
B. ignore the childs overactivity.
C. encourage the child to engage in any play activity to dissipate energy
D. remove the child from the classroom when disruptive behavior occurs

Answer: (A) provide as much structure as possible for the child. Decrease stimuli for
behavior control thru an environment that is free of distractions, a calm non-
confrontational approach and setting limit to time allotted for activities. B. The child will
not benefit from a lenient approach. C. Dissipate energy through safe activities. D. This
indicates that the classroom environment lacks structure.

3.) A 5 year old boy is diagnosed to have autistic disorder. Which of the following
manifestations may be noted in a client with autistic disorder?
A. argumentativeness, disobedience, angry outburst
B. intolerance to change, disturbed relatedness, stereotypes
C. distractibility, impulsiveness and over-activity
D. aggression, truancy, stealing, lying
Answer: (B) intolerance to change, disturbed relatedness, stereotypes. These are
manifestations of autistic disorder. A. These manifestations are noted in Oppositional
Defiant Disorder, a disruptive disorder among children. C. These are manifestations of
Attention Deficit Disorder D. These are the manifestations of Conduct Disorder

4.) The therapeutic approach in the care of an autistic child include the following
EXCEPT:
A. Engage in diversionary activities when acting out
B. Provide an atmosphere of acceptance
C. Provide safety measures
D. Rearrange the environment to activate the child

Answer: (D) Rearrange the environment to activate the child. The child with autistic
disorder does not want change. Maintaining a consistent environment is therapeutic. A.
Angry outburst can be re-channeled through safe activities. B. Acceptance enhances a
trusting relationship. C. Ensure safety from self-destructive behaviors like head-banging
and hair pulling.

5.) Ritalin is the drug of choice for children with ADHD. The side effects of the following
may be noted:
A. increased attention span and concentration
B. increase in appetite
C. sleepiness and lethargy
D. bradycardia and diarrhea

Answer: (A) increased attention span and concentration. The medication has a
paradoxic effect that decrease hyperactivity and impulsivity among children with ADHD.
B, C, D. Side effects of Ritalin include anorexia, insomnia, diarrhea and irritability.
6.) The nurse teaches the parents of a mentally retarded child regardingher care. The
following guidelines may be taught except:
A. overprotection of the child
B. patience, routine and repetition
C. assisting the parents set realistic goals
D. giving reasonable compliments

Answer: (A) overprotection of the child.

The child with mental retardation should not be overprotected but need protection from
injury and the teasing of other children. B,C, and D. Children with mental retardation
have learning difficulty. They should be taught with patience and repetition, start from
simple to complex, use visuals and compliment them for motivation. Realistic
expectations should be set and optimize their capability.

7.) A 2-year old child is brought to the physicians office by her parents who are
concerned by her behavior. They state that she resists their affection, twirls around
frequently and refuses to respond to other children and adults. Based on the analysis of
these behaviors, which of the following would the nurse suspects?
A. Tourette Syndrome
B. Schizophrenia
C. ADHD
D. Autism

Answer: (4) problems with interpersonal relationships, such as resisting affection and
refusing to respond others repetitive behaviors, such as twirling around frequently, are
suggestive of autism. Because parents did not report any tics, Tourette Syndrome is not
suggested. Because the parents did not report any psychotics behaviors, such as
hallucination, delusions, schiz can be ruled out. ADHD is most often portrayed as
incessant activity with difficulty completing tasks.
8.) When counseling a 5-year old girl who recently suffered the loss of her mother, the
nurse understands that which of the following statements reflects the typical
understanding about death at this age?
A. My mommy died last week, but Im going to see her again soon
B. My daddy said mommy went to heaven and Im glad Jesus took her there
C. My dog died and now we got another one
D. I think mommy went to heaven and Ill get to see her someday when I die

Answer: (A) 5 year-old children view death as reversible, so talking about seeing her
mother again is normal statement for a child at this age. A child this age would not
usually state that she was glad Jesus took her mom but instead might be afraid that
Jesus would also take her or her dad. The idea of replacing her mother with a new one,
as hinted in the statement that they got another dog after the dog died, has not been
supported by studies of grieving children. Stating that mommy went to heaven and that
the child will see her someday when the child dies is reflective and more advanced
abstract thinking than a 5-year-old would demonstrate.