Growth and development: gross motor skills at four years: practice question

A Pediatrics question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Pediatrics · Growth and development: gross motor skills at four years

Sample item

A child hops on one foot and walks down stairs alternating feet but cannot yet skip. What is the approximate age?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. 4 years

Hopping on one foot and descending stairs with alternate feet are achieved at about 4 years. Skipping follows at about 5 years.

Option by option

  • A. 4 years (correct)

    Correct. These gross motor skills appear at about 4 years, with skipping coming later.

  • B. 2 years

    At 2 years the child runs and climbs stairs holding on, one foot at a time.

  • C. 6 years

    By 6 years skipping is firmly established, so the inability to skip argues against this age.

  • D. 3 years

    At 3 years the child climbs stairs alternating feet but descends with both feet on each step.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Pediatrics question

What is the answer to this Pediatrics question?

The best answer is A, 4 years. Hopping on one foot and descending stairs with alternate feet are achieved at about 4 years.

Why is "2 years" not the answer?

At 2 years the child runs and climbs stairs holding on, one foot at a time.

Why is "6 years" not the answer?

By 6 years skipping is firmly established, so the inability to skip argues against this age.

Why is "3 years" not the answer?

At 3 years the child climbs stairs alternating feet but descends with both feet on each step.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Growth and development: gross motor skills at four years in Pediatrics. Skipping follows at about 5 years.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Growth and development: gross motor skills at four years?

Memorise milestones and the vaccine schedule as tables and revise them often. Then use the flashcards and the other Pediatrics questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.