Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What recommendation should a nurse practitioner make for a 4-week-old infant with occasional crossed eyes?

1. Recommend referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist

2. Advise the mother that this is a normal finding in infants up to 2 months of age

3. Recommend that multivitamin supplements be given to the infant daily

4. Educate her on how to patch the infant's eye every 4 hours

The correct answer is: Advise the mother that this is a normal finding in infants up to 2 months of age

A recommendation to advise the mother that occasional crossed eyes, or strabismus, is a normal finding in infants up to 2 months of age is based on the understanding of infant development. In the first few months of life, it is common for infants to exhibit transient strabismus due to the immaturity of their visual and neurological systems. Babies often have immature eye muscle control, which usually resolves as they grow and their visual coordination improves. By around 3 to 4 months of age, most infants will begin to have more consistent eye alignment as their visual skills develop and they learn to track objects. While referral to a pediatric ophthalmologist may be appropriate if the crossed eyes persist beyond this developmental window, it is typically unnecessary for an infant at 4 weeks. Multivitamin supplements are not necessary for infants unless directed by a healthcare provider due to specific nutritional deficiencies. Patching therapy is used to treat amblyopia or other eye conditions but is not indicated for normal infant crossing of the eyes. Therefore, reassuring the mother about the normalcy of the finding aligns with standard pediatric care.