A mother states that her 11-year-old son has really started to change in his understanding of concepts. The nurse knows that this could be true because:

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Around age 11, children undergo significant neurodevelopment, including synaptic pruning and myelination, which enhance cognitive abilities and abstract thinking, resembling adult brain patterns. While puberty (A) and hormones (B) play roles, the rewiring of brain connections (D) is the primary developmental explanation.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Borderline personality disorder benefits from a strong support network to manage emotional instability. Family and friends (C) provide stability, unlike the less specific (A, B) or inappropriate (D) options.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: Routine screening for depression at every physician visit (A) aligns with guidelines to catch mental health issues early in adolescents, who may not self-report symptoms.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Separation anxiety (B) is prevalent in toddlers, who fear being apart from caregivers, aligning with their developmental stage. Test (A) and school (D) anxiety apply to older children, and situational (C) is less specific.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Intuniv (guanfacine) is a non-stimulant ADHD medication (C), acting on alpha-2 receptors, unlike the stimulants Ritalin, Vyvanse, and Adderall (A, B, D), which increase dopamine/norepinephrine.