A mother tells the nurse during an admission interview that her 2-year-old, who has numerous bruises, has fallen down stairs frequently. The mother is able to provide few vague details. The nurse evaluates this as:

A. Possible child abuse is the most likely assessment. The presence of numerous bruises and the mother's vague, inconsistent details about the falls are concerning and may indicate that the child is being abused. Children at this age may sustain some bumps or bruises due to falls, but repeated and unexplained injuries, especially if the mother provides few details, should raise suspicion. The nurse should report this concern to appropriate authorities for further investigation. B. Knowledge deficit pertaining to home safety could be a possibility if the mother is unaware of safety precautions in the home, but the vague and inconsistent explanation of the injuries makes this less likely. A knowledge deficit would typically present with more specific concerns and less concern for frequent injury. C. A child with delayed milestones does not explain the frequent bruises or the vague details provided by the mother. While developmental delays can occur in some children, they are unlikely to account for such a pattern of injuries. D. Normal behavior for a 2-year-old typically involves some bumps and bruises, but frequent falls resulting in numerous bruises are not considered normal. Most 2-year-olds are still learning motor skills, but they should not be falling down stairs repeatedly.