GI

The nurse is teaching an in-service program to a group of nurses on the topic of children diagnosed with Kwashiorkor. The nurses in the group make the following statements. Which statement is most accurate related to the diagnosis of Kwashiorkor?

"It is important to increase the intake of protein for these children." Explanation: Kwashiorkor results from severe deficiency of protein with an adequate caloric intake. It accounts for most of the malnutrition in the world's children today. The highest incidence is in children 4 months to 5 years of age. Although strenuous efforts are being made around the world to prevent this condition, its causes are complex.

The nurse recognizes that in the disorder referred to as Rickets, the child has a lack of vitamin D. Because of the lack of vitamin D the absorption of which of the following is decreased?

Calcium and phosphorus Explanation: Rickets, a disease affecting the growth and calcification of bones, is caused by a lack of vitamin D. The absorption of calcium and phosphorus is diminished because of the lack of vitamin D, which is needed to regulate the use of these minerals. The absorption of the other nutrients is not affect by the lack of vitamin D.

In understanding the disease of Marasmus when seen in children, the nurse recognizes that the disease is caused because of which of the following?

Deficiency of protein and calories Explanation: Marasmus is a deficiency in calories as well as protein. Scurvy is caused by inadequate intake of vitamin C, and anemia is caused by lack of iron. Excess calories add to the concern of obesity in children. Excess vitamin C is excreted, and it is unusual to have an excess of iron or protein in the diet of children; those nutrients are more often inadequate in children's diets.

The nurse is caring for a child with a diagnosis of pyloric stenosis during the preoperative phase of the child's treatment. What is the highest priority at this time?

Improving hydration Explanation: Preoperatively the highest priority for the child with pyloric stenosis is to improve nutrition and hydration. Maintaining mouth and skin integrity, and relieving family anxiety are important, but these are not the priority. The child will not likely have intense pain. Preparing the family for home care would be a postoperative goal.

The nurse is caring for an infant immediately after a pyloromyotomy surgery has been performed to treat pyloric stenosis. The infant's parents are understandably anxious about their child. Given the situation, what is the most appropriate way for the nurse to position the infant during the anesthesia recovery period? The nurse should

Support him and place him on his side Explanation: Postoperatively the child should be placed on his side to prevent aspiration of mucus or vomitus, especially during the anesthesia recovery period. After fully waking from the surgery, he can be held by a family caregiver in a position that does not interfere with IV infusions and is comforting to both caregiver and child.

The nurse is collecting data on a child who has been nutritionally deprived. The nurse notes that the child is irritable and listless. The foster caregiver reports that the child says she is not hungry and has been vomiting. It is discovered that the child has beriberi. This disease is due to a deficiency in which of the following?

Thiamine Explanation: Children whose diets are deficient in thiamine exhibit irritability, listlessness, loss of appetite, and vomiting. A severe lack of thiamine in the diet causes beriberi, a disease characterized by cardiac and neurologic symptoms. Beriberi does not occur when balanced diets that include whole grains are eaten. Lack of vitamin C causes scurvy, lack of niacin causes pellagra, and lack of iron causes anemia.

he parents of a 6-week-old boy come to the clinic for evaluation because the infant has been vomiting. The parents report that the vomiting has been increasing in frequency and forcefulness over the last week. The mother says, "Sometimes, it seems like it just bursts out of his mouth." A diagnosis of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is suspected. When performing the physical examination, what would the nurse most likely find?

With hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, a hard, moveable, olive-shaped mass would be palpated in the right upper quadrant. A sausage-shaped mass in the upper midabdomen would suggest intussusception. Tenderness over the McBurney point would be associated with appendicitis. Epigastric or umbilical pain would be associated with peptic ulcer disease.

A neonatal nurse teaches students how to recognize gastrointestinal disorders in infants. The nurse tells the students that failure of the newborn to pass meconium in the first 24 hours after birth may indicate what disease?

The nurse should suspect Hirschsprung disease when the newborn does not pass meconium in the first 24 hours after birth, and has bilious vomiting or abdominal distention and feeding intolerance with bilious aspirates and vomiting. Typical signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. The characteristic GI manifestation of UC is bloody diarrhea accompanied by crampy, typically left-sided lower abdominal pain. Clinical manifestations of untreated SBS include profuse watery diarrhea, malabsorption, and failure to thrive.