An 18-month-old patient is brought into the clinic for evaluation because the parent is concerned. ...

ANS: A
Assure the mother that the child is displaying normal behavior. At 18 months, the child is in the sensorimotor period of development. Piaget describes hitting, looking, grasping, and kicking as normal schemas to deal with the environment. The social worker does not need to be consulted in this case nor is psychological counseling warranted, because the child is exhibiting normal behaviors. Play is an important part of all children's development. Removing toys and the opportunity to play with them may actually hinder the child's development.