Pediatric ATI Practice Exam

What finding in a 9-month-old infant may indicate a developmental delay?

1. Creeps on hands and knees.

2. Stands by holding onto support.

3. Uses crude pincer grasp.

4. Inability to vocalize vowel sounds.

The correct answer is: Inability to vocalize vowel sounds.

At 9 months old, infants typically exhibit specific developmental milestones in areas like motor skills and language. The ability to vocalize vowel sounds is one of the critical components of language development during this age. If an infant is unable to vocalize vowel sounds, it may signal a potential developmental delay in speech and language skills, which are essential for communication. Milestones at this age generally include making cooing sounds, babbling, and beginning to articulate vowels, which form the foundation for future language development. Therefore, an inability to produce vowel sounds could suggest that the child is not reaching a key milestone in language acquisition, prompting further assessment by healthcare providers to evaluate the child's overall development and ensure appropriate interventions if necessary. Other physical and motor milestones, such as creeping on hands and knees, standing while holding onto support, and using a crude pincer grasp, are usually within the expected range for a 9-month-old and do not indicate a delay by themselves. These milestones reflect typical progress in gross and fine motor skills.