The nurse is assessing the growth and development of a 3-year-old child. Which speech and language skills should the nurse identify as normal developmental milestones for this child?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Using 1-word sentences is more characteristic of a child's speech development at around 12-18 months, and by age 3, children are expected to use more words in their sentences. B. Speaks in simple sentences with four or more words. At the age of 3, children typically progress in their speech and language development. Speaking in simple sentences with four or more words is considered a normal developmental milestone at this age. It reflects the child's growing ability to form more complex and coherent sentences. C. Recognizing most letters and numbers is not typically a developmental milestone for a 3-year-old. This skill often develops later, closer to the preschool and kindergarten years. D. Using gestures with 1 to 2-word sentences may be seen in younger children, but by age 3, children should be progressing to longer and more complex sentences as part of their language development. It's important to remember that there can be some individual variation in language development, but by the age of 3, children are generally expected to speak in simple sentences with more words and demonstrate growing language skills.