Maharashtra HSC Child, Old Age & Health Care (Vocational) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Pincer grasp

Fine motor milestone around 9-10 months when the thumb and index finger pick up small objects; its absence by 12 months warrants developmental assessment.

Two-word phrases

Language milestone typically achieved by 18-24 months; absence by 24 months is a red flag for speech and language delay requiring referral.

Sensorimotor stage

Piaget's first stage from birth to about 2 years, when infants learn through senses and actions and develop object permanence.

Parallel play

Play style typical at 2-3 years where children play side by side without interacting; cooperative play usually emerges around 4 years.

Under-5 danger signs

Inability to feed or drink, persistent vomiting, convulsions, lethargy, chest indrawing, or stridor at rest; these require immediate referral.

Fast breathing pneumonia

Respiratory rate above 60/min under 2 months, 50/min at 2-12 months, or 40/min at 1-5 years; with cough it indicates pneumonia.

Severe acute malnutrition

Weight-for-height below -3 SD, mid-upper arm circumference under 11.5 cm in children 6-59 months, or bilateral pitting oedema.

Low-osmolarity ORS

Oral rehydration solution with reduced glucose and sodium, given in small frequent amounts for diarrhoea; zinc is added for 10-14 days.

Delirium versus dementia

Delirium has acute onset and fluctuating attention; dementia is chronic and progressive with consciousness preserved until late stages.

Polypharmacy risk

Use of multiple medicines in older adults; reduced renal and hepatic clearance raises adverse drug reaction risk, so regular medication review is essential.

Pressure ulcer prevention

Reposition at least every 2 hours, keep skin clean and dry, use pressure-relieving surfaces, and screen nutrition to prevent skin breakdown.

Presbyopia

Age-related loss of near vision due to reduced lens elasticity, typically after 40 years; corrected with reading glasses or bifocals.

Exclusive breastfeeding

Feeding only breast milk, no water or other foods, for the first 6 months; complementary feeding starts at 6 months with continued breastfeeding.

Kwashiorkor

Protein-energy malnutrition with oedema, distended abdomen, and skin and hair changes; distinguished from marasmus, which shows severe wasting without oedema.

Energy values of nutrients

Carbohydrate and protein provide 4 kcal per gram, while fat provides 9 kcal per gram; used in calculating meal energy content.

Iron absorption enhancers

Vitamin C and meat enhance non-heme iron absorption, while tea, coffee, and phytates inhibit it; relevant in adolescent and maternal nutrition.

DRABC sequence

First aid primary survey: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation; assess and act in this order before further care.

Burn first aid

Cool the burn with running water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery, and cover with a clean non-stick dressing; never apply ice or toothpaste.

Infant choking management

For infants under 1 year, give back blows and chest thrusts; abdominal thrusts are not used because of risk of internal injury.

Recovery position

Placing an unconscious but breathing casualty on the side to keep the airway clear and prevent aspiration while awaiting help.

Five moments for hand hygiene

Before patient contact, before aseptic task, after body fluid exposure risk, after patient contact, and after touching patient surroundings.

Standard precautions

Infection control measures applied to all patients regardless of diagnosis: hand hygiene, gloves for body fluids, and safe sharps disposal.

Biomedical waste segregation

Colour-coded disposal: yellow for infectious waste, red for contaminated recyclables, white for sharps, and black for general waste.

Faecal-oral transmission

Spread of pathogens from stool to mouth through contaminated water, food, or hands; prevented by safe water, sanitation, and handwashing.

Informed consent

Voluntary agreement to care after receiving adequate information about the procedure, its risks, benefits, and alternatives, given by a person with capacity.

Active listening

Communication technique using eye contact, nodding, paraphrasing, and reflecting feelings to show understanding without interrupting the speaker.

Professional boundaries

Limits that keep the caregiver-client relationship caring but professional, avoiding gifts that create obligation, dual relationships, or financial exploitation.

Confidentiality in caregiving

Duty to protect client information and share it only with authorised persons on a need-to-know basis; public discussion of a client's condition is a breach.

Growth chart plotting

Recording weight, height, and head circumference at each visit; falling centiles or crossing lines downward signal growth faltering and need assessment.

Zinc in diarrhoea

Zinc supplementation for 10-14 days, alongside oral rehydration solution and continued feeding, reduces diarrhoea duration and severity in children.

Adult CPR ratio

Chest compressions at 100-120 per minute, depth 5-6 cm, with 30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths for adult resuscitation.

Sarcopenia

Age-related loss of muscle mass and strength; prevented or slowed by adequate protein intake and regular weight-bearing and resistance exercise.