A nurse at a pediatric hotline receives a call from a mother who plans to administer aspirin to a toddler for a fever and wants to know the dosage. Which of the following statements by the nurse is an appropriate response?
"Give her acetaminophen, not aspirin."
"You'll have to call your physician."
"Give her no more than three baby aspirin every 4 hours."
"Follow the directions on the aspirin bottle for her age and weight."
The Correct Answer is A
A. "Give her acetaminophen, not aspirin.": Aspirin is contraindicated in children due to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious condition that affects the liver and brain, especially during viral illnesses like the flu or chickenpox. Acetaminophen is a safer alternative for fever management in children.
B. "You'll have to call your physician.": While seeking physician advice is important, the nurse has a duty to provide accurate, immediate, evidence-based guidance to prevent harm.
C. "Give her no more than three baby aspirin every 4 hours.": Recommending aspirin dosing is unsafe due to the risk of Reye's syndrome.
D. "Follow the directions on the aspirin bottle for her age and weight.": Providing this advice without addressing safety concerns is inappropriate and potentially harmful.
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Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. "I should place a cool mist humidifier in his room.": Children with Down Syndrome often have narrow nasal passages and a tendency toward respiratory infections. A cool mist humidifier helps keep the airways moist, reducing irritation and easing breathing.
B. "I should expect him to have frequent diarrhea.": Diarrhea is not a common symptom associated with Down Syndrome; constipation is more frequent due to low muscle tone.
C. "I should expect him to grow faster in length than other infants.": Infants with Down Syndrome tend to have slower growth rates and may not reach the same length or weight milestones as peers.
D. "I should avoid the use of lotion on his skin.": Infants with Down Syndrome often have dry, sensitive skin, and the use of lotion is encouraged to prevent dryness and cracking.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Decreased pressure and cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein level. Meningitis usually causes increased intracranial pressure, not decreased.
B. Clear cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose. Clear CSF is typically seen in viral meningitis, but bacterial meningitis more often causes cloudy CSF.
C. Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a low protein and low glucose. While glucose is low in bacterial meningitis, protein is typically elevated due to the infection.
D. Cloudy cerebrospinal fluid with a high protein and low glucose levels. This finding is consistent with bacterial meningitis, where the CSF is cloudy, protein is elevated due to inflammation, and glucose is low because bacteria consume glucose.