In a pediatric examination, which one of the following is considered an abnormal finding?

The "clunk" sound during the Ortolani maneuver is considered an abnormal finding because it may indicate hip dysplasia in an infant. The Ortolani maneuver is a physical examination technique used to assess for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), which is a condition where the hip joint may dislocate or be prone to dislocation. When performing this maneuver, a "clunk" suggests that the femoral head is being relocated back into the hip socket from a dislocated position, indicating potential instability or abnormal hip development.

In contrast, the other options reflect normal developmental milestones or assessments. For instance, a 12-month-old who is "cruising" (walking while holding onto furniture) is demonstrating typical mobility for that age. Equal limb lengths with the Galeazzi sign indicates that there is no apparent leg length discrepancy, which is a normal finding. A 6-month-old who begins to babble is reaching a typical speech and language developmental milestone. These normal findings highlight the differences between expected behaviors in pediatric assessments and those that suggest the need for further evaluation due to potential health concerns.