Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

Which of the following is a sign of healthy development in an 18-month-old child?

1. Walking without assistance

2. Using simple sentences

3. Recognizing familiar people

4. Complete toilet training

The correct answer is: Walking without assistance

Walking without assistance is indeed a sign of healthy development in an 18-month-old child. At this age, most children are beginning to walk independently, which is an important milestone in their gross motor skills development. Mastering walking indicates that the child has developed sufficient strength, coordination, and balance, which are crucial for further physical activities. While using simple sentences is a milestone that typically emerges a bit later, most 18-month-olds are still in the stage of using single words or simple two-word phrases. Recognizing familiar people is also a typical behavior for young children, though it does not reflect the same level of physical development. Complete toilet training generally occurs much later, usually not until around the age of 2 to 3 years, making it an inappropriate developmental marker for an 18-month-old. Thus, walking independently is a clear and significant milestone indicating healthy physical and developmental progress at this age.