Reference no: EM132882460

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends screening of children for general development using validated standard tools at 9,18,24 and 30 months ("Early childhood development," n.d.). This helps in early identification of any delay in development. Nurses have an important role to play in checking whether the children have attained expected milestones. Physical characteristics of the infant such as weight, length and head circumference are the basic developmental markers. Motor skills in a nine-month-old infant like being able to crawl and reach for objects while sitting among many others are also assessed. Cognitive skills such as moving objects smoothly from one hand to another and picking up things between the thumb and index fingers should be assessed too. In language and communication skills, the infant should be able to do things like make babbling sounds and imitate speech sounds. The infant should have developed social and emotional skills like having favorite toys and being afraid of strangers by this age ("Important Milestones: Your Baby By Nine Months," 2019)

• Adequately breastfeeding as often as the baby wants is one of the recommendations I will give the mother. Although complementary foods can be added from the age of six months, breastfeeding should continue up to the age of two years to improve the infant's health. Feeding the baby with enough quantities of proteins, nutrient dense fluids such as milk and energy giving foods is another recommendation. It will also be advantageous to feed the infant a wide variety of foods so that she can obtain other essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. These types of foods will help enhance synthesis of muscle and fat tissue (Ridley, 2013).
• Evidence based practice recommendations are the best to use because they combine the current best evidence with clinical expertise and patient values. This has become a standard of practice in health care institutions. The guidelines in EBP allow nurses to base their recommendations on research that has been collected, analyzed and condensed by experts in the health care field.

Question 1: Explain the developmental markers a nurse should assess for a 9-month-old female infant. Discuss the recommendations you would give the mother. Explain why these recommendations are based on evidence-based practice.