RN Exam Practice
Health Promotion and MaintenanceQuestion 2058 of 2368

Which teaching helps prevent flat spots on the head of an infant who sleeps on the back?

  1. Place the infant prone for sleep so that the back of the head is not flat.
  2. Keep the infant's head in the same position for every sleep, on the same side.
  3. Prop the infant's head with a firm pillow in the crib to hold a changed position.
  4. Hold the infant upright and limit time in seats with the head against a surface.
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Correct answer: Hold the infant upright and limit time in seats with the head against a surface.

Alternative positioning while awake prevents positional plagiocephaly. Back sleeping lowers SIDS risk and stays in place.

Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Healthy Newborn Care: Positional Plagiocephaly. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Health Promotion and Maintenance"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026