Milestone Maya — Growth, Development and Age-Appropriate Safety
Every age has one milestone the NCLEX loves — and one hazard that comes with it
Maya walks into a room, sees what the child can newly do, and immediately knows what the child can newly get hurt by.
Maya matches the milestone to the hazard. An infant who can roll (about 4 months) can roll off a changing table, and everything reachable goes in the mouth at 6 to 9 months, so small objects and latex balloons are the danger. A 12-month-old walks and pulls on cords and pot handles. A toddler is curious and wordless about pain, so poisoning, drowning in buckets and tubs, and burns dominate. Preschoolers fall and ride tricycles; school-age children need helmets, water safety and stranger teaching; adolescents die from motor vehicle crashes, firearms and risk-taking. Car seats stay rear-facing until at least age 2 and always in the back seat.
Read Milestone Maya's full story →The story arc
The setup
A parent proudly reports her 4-month-old rolled over for the first time on the changing table.
The turn
At 9 months the same infant reaches for a coin under the couch.
The crisis
The toddler drags a chair to the counter and reaches for a bottle of bright pills.
The save
Maya teaches by age, not by lecture: locks, latches, back seat, helmet, and supervision that changes as the child changes.
NCLEX study section — Growth, Development and Age-Appropriate Safety
What this chapter is testing: the recognition cues, the numbers and the priority action.
Study section: Pediatrics
Take this chapter into practice questions on the same topic.