As children grow up their patterns of growth tend to follow a normal progression. There are many areas that are the same across the ages, like nutritional-metabolic patterns and patterns of coping and stress tolerance. These are areas that are important to all age groups and should be assessed to make sure that they are progressing as the child gets older. When assessing children it is important to keep in mind their age group in order to make sure that what is being asked and observed is age appropriate.
Children's Functional Health Pattern Assessment
Functional Health Pattern Assessment (FHP)
Toddler
Erickson's Developmental Stage:
Preschool-Aged
Erickson's Developmental Stage:
School-Aged
Erickson's Developmental Stage:
Pattern of Health Perception and Health Management:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Can formulate words with meaning
Feeds self
Climbs by themselves
Uses crayons and scissors
Runs, jumps and climbs
Reads at appropriate level
Not talking
Can't sit alone
Not toilet trained
Speech problems
Unable to tie shoes
Small vocabulary
Nutritional-Metabolic Pattern:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Eating proper amounts
Eating on a regular basis
Trying new foods
Eating regularly
Eating proper amounts
Eating regularly
Lack of weight gain
Excessive weight gain
Lack of weight gain
Excessive weight gain
Lack of weight gain
Excessive weight gain
Pattern of Elimination:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Regular elimination
Normal color
Regular elimination
Normal color
Regular elimination
Normal color
Narrowed urination stream
Irregular urine color
Irregular urine color
History of urinary tract infections
Bedwetting
Painful urination
Pattern of Activity and Exercise:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Sleeps soundly
Appropriate amount of physical activity
Sleeps soundly
Appropriate amount of physical activity
Sleeps soundly
Appropriate amount of physical activity
Night terrors
Lack of physical activity
Not sleeping soundly
Lack of physical activity
Excessive sleepiness
No energy for physical activity
Cognitive/Perceptual Pattern:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Able to express self clearly
No sensory deficits
Able to express self clearly
No sensory deficits
Expresses self clearly and logically
Appropriate education level
Sensory deficits
Not able to express self clearly
Sensory deficits
Not able to express self clearly
Can't express self clearly
Not at appropriate education level
Pattern of Sleep and Rest:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Appears well rested
Has regular sleep patterns
Appears well rested
Has regular sleep patterns
Appears well rested
Has regular sleep patterns
Appears tired
Has irregular sleep patterns
Appears tired
Has irregular sleep patterns
Appears tired
Has irregular sleep patterns
Pattern of Self-Perception and Self-Concept:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Appears happy
Looks appropriate
Appears happy
Looks appropriate
Appears happy
Looks appropriate
Appears sad or disturbed
Looks inappropriate
Appears sad or disturbed
Looks inappropriate
Appears sad or disturbed
Looks inappropriate
Role-Relationship Pattern:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List 2 potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Appears to fit into family unit
Has positive role models
Appears to fit into family unit
Has positive role models
Appears to fit into family unit
Has positive role models
No positive role models
Does not appear to have place in family unit
No positive role models
Does not appear to have place in family unit
No positive role models
Does not appear to have place in family unit
Sexuality -- Reproductive Pattern:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Normal reproductive system growth
No signs of disease
Normal reproductive system growth
No signs of disease
Normal reproductive system growth
No signs of disease
Abnormal reproductive system growth
Signs of disease
Abnormal reproductive system growth
Signs of disease
Abnormal reproductive system growth
Signs of disease
Pattern of Coping and Stress Tolerance:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List wo potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Able to cope with issues
No signs of emotional distress
Able to cope with issues
No signs of emotional distress
Able to cope with issues
No signs of emotional distress
Not able to handle difficult situations
Signs of emotional distress
Not able to handle difficult situations
Signs of emotional distress
Not able to handle difficult situations
Signs of emotional distress
Pattern of Value and Beliefs:
List two normal assessment findings that would be characteristic for each age group.
List two potential problems that a nurse may discover in an assessment of each age group.
Good support system
Age appropriate value system
Good support system
Age appropriate value system
Good support system
Age appropriate value system
No support system
No appropriate value system in place
No support system
No appropriate value system in place
No support system
No appropriate value system in place
Short Answer Questions
1) Compare and contrast identified similarities as well as differences in expected assessment across the childhood age groups.
As children grow up their patterns of growth tend to follow a normal progression. There are many areas that are the same across the ages, like nutritional-metabolic patterns and patterns of coping and stress tolerance. These are areas that are important to all age groups and should be assessed to make sure that they are progressing as the child gets older. When assessing children it is important to keep in mind their age group in order to make sure that what is being asked and observed is age appropriate. For example when assessing the area of patterns of health perception and health management it is important to make sure that each child is developmentally where they should be for their age. If not there could be serious issues that need to be investigated further.
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