What finding would a nurse expect when evaluating the growth of a 12 month-old child?

A 12-month-old child is expected to have tripled their birth weight by this age, which is a significant milestone in growth and development. Most infants typically double their birth weight by about 5 months and triple it by their first birthday. This growth pattern reflects adequate nutrition and overall health during the critical first year of life.

In terms of other growth metrics, while an increase of 10% in height can be seen during the first year, it is less specific and less representative of expected growth than the tripling of weight, which is a more definitive and measurable milestone.

The presence of only 2 deciduous teeth is less common by 12 months; most children have more than 2 teeth by then. Additionally, head circumference being greater than chest circumference is true for younger infants, but by the age of 12 months, these measurements begin to equalize, making this option less applicable to the expected findings for a child of this age.

Thus, tripling the birth weight is the most accurate and indicative assessment of a 12-month-old child's growth.