Pediatric ATI Practice Exam

In assessing a child with an acute spinal cord injury, where should the nurse tap to elicit the bicep reflex?

1. Back of the neck.

2. Below the knee.

3. Above the elbow.

4. On the inner elbow.

The correct answer is: Back of the neck.

The bicep reflex is an important neurological assessment that tests the integrity of the C5 and C6 spinal segments and the corresponding spinal nerves. This reflex is elicited by tapping on the biceps tendon, which is located at the inner elbow. By tapping this area, the nurse stimulates the muscle spindle in the biceps muscle, causing a contraction in response, which is visible as flexion at the elbow. Tapping on the back of the neck does not elicit the bicep reflex, as it is unrelated to the C5 and C6 nerve roots. Similarly, tapping below the knee pertains to testing the patellar reflex rather than the bicep reflex, and it assesses a different region of the spinal cord. Lastly, while tapping on the inner elbow is indeed the correct location for eliciting the bicep reflex, the option stating "above the elbow" is vague and does not pinpoint the precise anatomical location necessary for this reflex. Therefore, the correct understanding of where to tap to elicit the bicep reflex centers on the inner elbow, confirming that it's crucial to locate the appropriate anatomical sites for effective neurological assessment in children.