Chapter 39

The parents of a toddler have just learned that their child has profound hearing loss. The parents are very upset and state to the nurse, "It just isn't fair. We did everything right during our pregnancy all the way to this point." How should the nurse respond?

"I can't imagine how difficult this must be. When you're ready I would be happy to arrange a meeting with a support group of other parents with children who have hearing loss."

The nurse in the emergency department is caring for a child who has a simple contusion of the right eye following a motor vehicle accident. Upon discharge to home, which response by the parents requires further clarification?

"I will need to apply heat to the eye four times a day."

The nurse is educating the parents of a 7-year-old boy who has hearing loss due to otitis media with effusion. Which statement by the parents indicates that further education is needed?

"We need to raise the volume of our voices significantly so he can hear us."

The parents of an 8-year-old child report that the child's teachers noted the child is having problems seeing the board in school but state they do not understand this since the child is able to read from the computer with no difficulty. Which response from the nurse is most appropriate?

"What you are describing may be what is called myopia."

The nurse is teaching a group of parents about eyes and eye concerns. The nurse tells these caregivers about a condition that occurs when unequal curvatures in the cornea bend the light rays in different directions and this causes images to be blurred. The condition the nurse is referring to is:

Astigmatism

A young child in the clinic has watery eyes and reddened conjunctiva. The child keeps the eyes closed a lot, because it hurts to have them open. Which problem does the nurse suspect for this client?

Conjunctivitis

A 5-year-old girl is diagnosed with amblyopia. What treatment options are helpful? Select all that apply.

Covering the good eye with a patch Use of correcting lenses (glasses) Lasik surgery to the eye with the refractive error Administration of levodopa

The nurse is educating the parents of a 4-year-old boy with strabismus. Teaching for the parents would include the:

importance of patching as prescribed.

A 10-year-old client has just been treated for otitis externa and now the nurse is teaching the boy and his parents about prevention. Which recommendation should the nurse include?

Using a hair dryer on cool to dry the ears.

A 13-year-old reports she recently saw a television program showing surgery to correct vision problems. She states she hates wearing glasses and wants to have this procedure done. What is the best response by the nurse?

"Although there are surgeries for vision, they are not normally recommended for someone your age."

A child diagnosed with acute otitis media has been given a prescription for benzocaine. The nurse is correct when she makes which statement?

"Benzocaine drops should be placed in your ear to numb it and reduce pain."

The nurse has finished teaching the mother of a 5-year-old male diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis how to manage her son's infection at home. Which statement by the mother would indicate a need for further education?

"I will use Visine drops in his infected eye to help reduce redness."

The parent of a child having myringotomy tubes placed asks, "Will my child lose hearing while the tubes are in place?" What is the nurse's best answer?

"The tubes are inserted into a section of eardrum in which the hearing is not affected."

The nurse recognizes that if the infant is following normal development, the infant will be able to focus and follow an object with the eyes by what age?

2 months of age

The nurse is teaching the family of a 6-year-old boy with allergic conjunctivitis how to minimize his exposure to allergens. What action would the nurse anticipate as being most difficult for the family to implement?

encouraging the child to keep his hands away from his eyes

The 12-year-old child has developed a stye. Which may be included in the child's care?

Apply hot, moist compresses to the affected area.

In children with otitis media, a procedure known as a myringotomy may be performed. Which statement is most accurate regarding this procedure?

During this procedure, small tubes are inserted into the tympanic membrane.

A nurse is assessing a child's vision. Which test should the nurse use to test for accommodation?

Moving a penlight toward the client's nose and observing whether his eyes can follow it

The nurse is taking a health history for a 9-year-old child with conjunctivitis. Which finding would suggest that this is allergic conjunctivitis?

Recently helped clean the basement

A 5-year-old child is diagnosed with acute otitis media. Which nursing intervention would be priority?

Relieving the child's pain

A group of students are reviewing the various causes of bacterial conjunctivitis in children. The students demonstrate understanding of this condition when they identify what as the most common cause?

Staphylococcus aureus

The school nurse is instructing the classroom teacher regarding a student newly diagnosed with amblyopia. To prepare for classroom instruction, which concept is most important to understand?

Student placement in the room is important but all other teaching methods may remain the same.

A young child in the clinic reports pain and has redness on the lid of the right eye. Upon further examination, the nurse notices swelling in the preauricular lymph node along with tenderness. What should the nurse suspect?

Stye

The nurse is performing a physical assessment for an 8-year-old child with an earache. Which sign or symptom indicates external otitis (acute otitis externa or swimmer's ear)?

The child cries out when the ear is grasped.

The nurse is caring for a 10-year-old girl with acute periorbital cellulitis. Which nursing intervention (therapy) is primary for this disorder?

administering antibiotics IV as ordered

The nurse is educating the parents of a 6-year-old child about preventing hearing loss. Which topic will be included in the discussion?

prevention and treatment of otitis media

The nurse is educating the parents of a 5-year-old girl with infectious conjunctivitis about the disorder. Which information is most important to provide to prevent the spread of the disorder?

washing hands frequently

The nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit places earplugs in the premature infant's ears. What type of hearing loss is the nurse trying to prevent?

Sensorineural hearing loss

The nurse is educating the parents of a 4-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with amblyopia ("lazy eye"). Which comment provides information most helpful for the parents to know?

Give him a prize when he wears the patch."

A child returns to the clinic after an episode of external otitis (acute otitis externa) that has resolved. What would the nurse emphasize as the priority for preventing future episodes?

Keeping ear canals dry