Pediatric ATI Practice Exam

Which finding during a well-child visit for a 6-month-old infant should be reported to the provider?

1. Presence of a central incisor tooth.

2. Presence of strabismus.

3. Presence of an open anterior fontanel.

4. Presence of external cerumen.

The correct answer is: Presence of strabismus.

The presence of strabismus in a 6-month-old infant should be reported to the provider because it can indicate an issue with eye alignment or coordination. Strabismus, in which the eyes do not properly align with each other when looking at an object, can lead to complications such as amblyopia (often referred to as "lazy eye") if not addressed early. Early intervention is important for correcting strabismus and promoting healthy visual development. In contrast, the presence of a central incisor tooth is actually a normal finding at this age, as the range for the eruption of teeth varies widely among infants. Similarly, an open anterior fontanel is typically expected in infants up to around 18 months, and many infants will still have a soft spot at 6 months. Lastly, the presence of external cerumen (earwax) is also common and generally does not require medical attention unless it causes blockage or infection. Therefore, the other findings are not alarming and do not require reporting to the provider in the same way that strabismus does.