What temperament type is described by a child who is highly active, irritable, irregular in habits, and adapts slowly to new routines?

• A. Difficult temperament.
• B. Easy temperament.
• C. Slow-to-warm-up temperament.
• D. Withdrawn temperament.

Answer: (A)

A child described as highly active, irritable, with irregular habits, and slow to adapt to new routines fits the temperament pattern where regulation is challenging and reactions are intense. This difficult temperament tends to show strong energy, fussiness or anger when routines change or when faced with novelty, and a need for more time and consistency to settle into new activities or schedules. In practice, recognizing this helps guide nursing care: establish predictable routines, prepare the child gradually for transitions, provide calm, structured environments, and offer steady, gentle support to help the child cope with changes. Easy temperament would read as more regular and adaptable with a generally positive mood; slow-to-warm-up is more cautious and takes longer to enter new situations; withdrawn describes a shy or less engaged response that isn’t the same pattern of high activity and irritability.