A nurse is performing a physical assessment for a school-age child. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Standardized physical assessment techniques ensure accurate monitoring of pediatric growth and development. Nurses must apply knowledge of anatomical milestones, physiological norms, and age-specific examination procedures to obtain reliable data regarding the school-age child's physical health, respiratory function, and sensory acuity. Choice A rationale Visual acuity exams using the Snellen chart should be performed with the child's corrective lenses in place to assess their best-corrected vision. Testing without glasses provides an inaccurate representation of the child's functional visual capacity and daily visual health. Choice B rationale School-age children are primarily thoracic breathers. While infants and toddlers exhibit abdominal movement during respiration, the nurse should observe chest wall excursion in a school-age child to accurately determine the respiratory rate (18 to 25 breaths per minute). Choice C rationale For children older than 3 years, the pinna should be pulled up and back to straighten the external auditory canal for inspection. Pulling the pinna down and back is the specific technique reserved for infants and younger toddlers. Choice D rationale Vertical height or stature is the standard measurement for school-age children who can stand independently. Accurate height data is essential for plotting the child on growth charts to monitor developmental trends against national percentiles for their age.