In a 5-month-old child, which fine motor skills should the nurse expect to see?

At 5 months of age, a child is typically developing their fine motor skills in a way that allows them to explore their environment more actively. Bringing objects up to their mouth is a significant milestone at this stage of development. This behavior not only demonstrates the child's ability to grasp and manipulate objects but also serves an important purpose in terms of sensory exploration and self-soothing.

This stage involves a coordinated effort to control hand movements, and mouthing objects is a natural way for infants to learn about their environment. It plays a crucial role in their cognitive and physical development, as they begin to understand the sizes, shapes, and textures of different items.

While the palmar grasp is a skill seen in younger infants and the pincer grasp develops later (around 9 to 12 months), transferring objects from hand to hand typically emerges around 6 to 7 months. Thus, bringing objects to the mouth at 5 months is a clear indication of normal fine motor development for that age.