PEDIATRIC SUCCESS GASTROINTESTINAL DISORDERS CHAPTER 8

11. A 7-year-old is being seen in the pediatric clinic. The child is diagnosed with chronic constipation that has been unresponsive to dietary and activity changes. Which of the following pharmacological measures is most appropriate? 1. Natural supplements and herbs. 2. A stimulant laxative. 3. A stool softener. 4. Pharmacological measures are not used in pediatric constipation.

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25. The nurse is caring for a 5-year-old who has just returned from having an appendectomy. Which of the following is the optimal way to manage pain? 1. Intravenous morphine as needed. 2. Liquid Tylenol with codeine as needed. 3. Morphine administered through a PCA pump. 4. Intramuscular morphine as needed.

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45. The nurse is caring for an 8-week-old infant being evaluated for pyloric stenosis. Which of the following statements made by the parents would be typical of a child with this diagnosis? 1. "The baby is a very fussy eater and just does not want to eat." 2. "The baby tends to have a very forceful vomiting episode approximately 30 minutes after most feedings." 3. "The baby is always hungry." 4. "The baby is happy in spite of getting really upset on spitting up."

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13. The nurse is caring for an infant diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease. The mother states she is pregnant with a male and wants to know if her new baby will likely have the disorder. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Genetics play a small role in Hirschsprung disease, so there is a chance the baby will develop it as well." 2. "There is no evidence to support a genetic link, so it is very unlikely the baby will also have it." 3. "It is rarely seen in boys, so it is not likely your new baby will have Hirschsprung disease." 4. "Hirschsprung disease is seen only in girls, so your new baby will not be at risk."

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28. The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old in the early stages of acute hepatitis. Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect to find? 1. Nausea, vomiting, and generalized malaise. 2. Nausea, vomiting, generalized malaise, and pain in the left upper quadrant. 3. Nausea, vomiting, generalized malaise, and yellowing of the skin and sclera. 4. Yellowing of the skin and sclera without any other generalized complaints.

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29. The nurse is caring for a 6-year-old with hepatitis. The child is hungry and wants to eat dinner. Which of the following foods should be offered? 1. A tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread and a cup of skim milk. 2. Clear liquids, such as broth, and Jell-O. 3. A hamburger, French fries, and a diet soda. 4. A peanut butter sandwich and a milkshake.

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4. A 4-month-old female is brought to the emergency department with severe dehydra tion. Her heart rate is 198, and her blood pressure is 68/38. The infant's anterior fontanel is sunken. The nurse notes that the infant does not cry when the intravenous line is inserted. The child's parents state that she has not "held anything down" in 18 hours. The nurse obtains a finger-stick blood sugar of 94. Which of the following would the nurse expect to do immediately? 1. Administer a bolus of normal saline. 2. Administer a bolus of D 10W. 3. Administer a bolus of normal saline with 5% dextrose added to the solution. 4. Offer the child an oral rehydrating solution such as Pedialyte.

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47. The nurse receives a call from the mother of a 6-month-old who describes her child as sleepy and fussy. She states that her infant vomited once this morning and had two episodes of diarrhea. The last episode contained mucus and a small amount of blood. She asks the nurse what she should do. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Your infant will need to have some tests in the emergency room to determine if anything serious is going on." 2. "Try feeding your infant in about 30 minutes; in the event of repeat vomiting, bring the infant to the emergency room for some tests and intravenous rehydration." 3. "Many infants display these symptoms when they develop an allergy to the formula they are receiving; try switching to a soy-based formula." 4. "Do not worry about the blood and mucus in the stool; it is not unusual for infants to have blood in their stools because their intestines are more sensitive."

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19. The nurse is caring for a 4-month-old with GER. The infant is due to receive Reglan (metoclopramide). Based on the medication's mechanism of action, when should this medication be administered? 1. Immediately before a feeding. 2. 30 minutes after the feeding. 3. 30 minutes before the feeding. 4. At bedtime.

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23. The nurse is caring for an 8-year-old who has just returned to the pediatric unit after an appendectomy for a ruptured appendix. Which of the following is the best position for the child? 1. Semi-Fowler. 2. Prone. 3. Right side-lying. 4. Left side-lying.

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44. The nurse is caring for an infant with pyloric stenosis. The parents ask if any future children will likely have pyloric stenosis. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "You seem worried; would you like to discuss your concerns?" 2. "It is very rare for a family to have more than one child with pyloric stenosis." 3. "Pyloric stenosis can run in families. It is more common among males." 4. "Although there can be a genetic link, it is very unusual for girls to have pyloric stenosis."

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9. The nurse receives a call from the parent of a 10-month-old who has vomited three times in the past 8 hours. The parent describes the baby as playful and wanting to drink. The parent asks the nurse what to give the child. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Replace the next feeding with regular water, and see if that is better tolerated." 2. "Do not allow your baby to eat any solids; give half the normal formula feeding, and see if that is better tolerated." 3. "Do not allow your baby to eat or drink anything for 24 hours to give the stomach a chance to rest." 4. "Give your child a very small amount of Pedialyte. If vomiting continues, wait a half hour, and then give half of what you previously gave."

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14. The nurse is caring for an infant newly diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease. Which of the following does the nurse understand about this infant's condition? 1. There is a lack of peristalsis in the large intestine and an accumulation of bowel contents, leading to abdominal distention. 2. There is excessive peristalsis throughout the intestine, resulting in abdominal distention. 3. There is a small-bowel obstruction leading to ribbon-like stools. 4. There is inflammation throughout the large intestine, leading to accumulation of intestinal contents and abdominal distention.

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37. The nurse is caring for an 18-month-old infant whose cleft palate was repaired 12 hours ago. Which of the following should be included in the plan of care? 1. Allow the infant to have familiar items of comfort such as a favorite stuffed animal and a pacifier. 2. Once liquids have been tolerated, encourage a bland diet such as soup, Jell-O, and saltine crackers. 3. Administer pain medication on a regular schedule, as opposed to an as-needed schedule. 4. Use a Yankauer suction catheter on the infant's mouth to decrease the risk of aspiration of oral secretions.

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8. The nurse is working in the pediatric clinic and is seeing many children with diarrhea. Which of the following children can most likely be discharged without further evaluation? 1. A 2-year-old who has had 24 hours of watery diarrhea that has changed to bloody diarrhea in the past 12 hours. 2. A 10-year-old who has just returned from a Scout camping trip. 3. A 2-year-old who had a relapse of one diarrhea episode after restarting a normal diet. 4. A 6-year-old who has been having vomiting and diarrhea for 2 days and has decreased urine output.

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30. The nurse in the pediatric clinic is providing instructions to the parents of a 2-year old child who has just been diagnosed with acute hepatitis. Which of the following would be an appropriate activity for the nurse to recommend? 1. Riding a bike in an enclosed area such as a basement. 2. Playing basketball. 3. Playing video games in bed. 4. Playing with puzzles in bed.

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62. The nurse is interviewing the parents of a 6-year-old who has been experiencing constipation. Which of the following could be a causative factor? Select all that apply. 1. Hypothyroidism. 2. Muscular dystrophy. 3. Myelomeningocele. 4. Drinks a lot of milk. 5. Active in sports.

1, 2, 3, 4

42. An expectant mother asks the nurse if her new baby will likely have an umbilical hernia. The nurse bases the response on which of the following? 1. Umbilical hernias occur more often in large infants. 2. Umbilical hernias occur more often in white infants than in African-American infants. 3. Umbilical hernias occur twice as often in male infants. 4. Umbilical hernias occur more often in premature infants.

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36. The nurse is caring for a 4-month-old who has just had an isolated cleft lip repaired. Select the best position for the child in the immediate postoperative period. 1. Right side-lying. 2. Left side-lying. 3. Supine. 4. Prone.

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61. Which of the following children may need extra fluids to prevent dehydration? Select all that apply. 1. A 7-day-old receiving phototherapy. 2. A 6-month-old with newly diagnosed pyloric stenosis. 3. A 2-year-old with pneumonia. 4. A 13-year-old who has just started her menses. 5. A 2-year-old with full-thickness burns to the chest, back, and abdomen.

1, 2, 3, 5

18. The nurse is caring for a 6-week-old infant with cerebral palsy and GER. After two hospital admissions for aspiration, the child is scheduled for a Nissen fundoplication. The nurse knows that this procedure involves which of the following? 1. The fundus of the stomach is wrapped around the inferior stomach, mimicking a lower esophageal sphincter. 2. The fundus of the stomach is wrapped around the inferior esophagus, mimicking a cardiac sphincter. 3. The fundus of the stomach is wrapped around the middle portion of the stomach, decreasing the capacity of the stomach. 4. The fundus of the stomach is dilated, decreasing the likelihood of reflux.

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20. The nurse is administering Prilosec to a 3-month-old with GER. The child's parents ask the nurse how the medication works. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Prilosec is a proton pump inhibitor that is commonly used for reflux in infants." 2. "Prilosec decreases stomach acid, so it will not be as irritating when your child spits up." 3. "Prilosec helps food move through the stomach quicker, so there will be less chance for reflux." 4. "Prilosec relaxes the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter."

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22. The parents of a 6-year-old being evaluated for appendicitis tell the nurse the physician diagnosed their child as having a positive Rovsing sign. They ask the nurse what this means. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Your child's physician should answer that question." 2. "A positive Rovsing sign means the child feels pain in the right side of the abdomen when the left side is palpated." 3. "A positive Rovsing sign means pain is felt when the physician removes the hand from the abdomen." 4. "A positive Rovsing sign means pain is felt in the right lower quadrant when the child coughs."

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26. The nurse is caring for a 3-year-old who had an appendectomy 2 days ago. When taking the child's temperature, the nurse notes that the child has a fever of 101.8°F (38.8°C). The nurse notes the child's breath sounds are slightly diminished in the right lower lobe. Which of the following actions is most appropriate for this patient? 1. Teach the child how to use an incentive spirometer. 2. Encourage the child to blow bubbles. 3. Obtain an order for intravenous antibiotics. 4. Obtain an order for acetaminophen.

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27. The nurse is providing discharge instructions to the parents of a 10-year-old who had an appendectomy for a ruptured appendix 5 days ago. The nurse knows that further education is required when the child's parent states: 1. "We will wait a few days before allowing our child to return to school." 2. "We will wait 2 weeks before allowing our child to return to sports." 3. "We will call the pediatrician's office if we notice any drainage around the wound." 4. "We will encourage our child to go for walks every day."

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10. The parents of a 4-year-old ask the nurse how to manage their child's constipation. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Add 2 ounces of apple or pear juice to the child's diet." 2. "Be sure your child eats a lot of fresh fruit such as apples and bananas." 3. "Encourage your child to drink more fluids." 4. "Decrease bulky foods such as whole-grain breads and rice."

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15. The nurse is caring for a 3-month-old male who is being evaluated for possible Hirschsprung disease. His parents call the nurse and state that his diaper contains a large amount of mucus and bloody diarrhea. The nurse notes that the infant is irritable and his abdomen appears very distended. Which of the following should be the nurse's next action? 1. Reassure the parents that this is an expected finding and not uncommon. 2. Call a code for a potential cardiac arrest, and stay with the infant. 3. Immediately obtain all vital signs with a quick head-to-toe assessment. 4. Obtain a stool sample for occult blood.

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2. The mother of a newborn asks the nurse why she has to nurse so frequently. The nurse replies using which of the following principles? 1. Formula tends to be more calorically dense, and formula-fed babies require fewer feedings than breastfed babies. 2. The newborn's stomach capacity is small, and peristalsis is slow. 3. The newborn's stomach capacity is small, and peristalsis is more rapid than in older children. 4. Breastfed babies tend to take longer to complete a feeding than formula-fed babies.

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3. A 2-month-old male is brought to the pediatric clinic. The infant has had vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours. The infant's anterior fontanel is sunken. The child is irrita ble, and the nurse notes that the infant does not produce tears when he cries. Which of the following tasks will help confirm the diagnosis of dehydration? 1. Urinalysis obtained by bagged specimen. 2. Urinalysis obtained by sterile catheterization. 3. Analysis of serum electrolytes. 4. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid.

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48. The nurse is caring for a 5-month-old infant with a diagnosis of intussusception. The infant has periods of irritability during which the knees are brought to chest and the infant cries, alternating with periods of lethargy. Vital signs are stable and within age-appropriate limits. The physician elects to give an enema. The parents ask the purpose of is the enema. Select the nurse's most appropriate response. 1. "The enema will confirm the diagnosis. If the test result is positive, your child will need to have surgery to correct the intussusception." 2. "The enema will confirm the diagnosis. Although very unlikely, the enema may also help fix the intussusception so that your child will not immediately need surgery." 3. "The enema will help confirm diagnosis and has a good chance of fixing the intussusception." 4. "The enema will help confirm the diagnosis and may temporarily fix the intussusception. If the bowel returns to normal, there is a strong likelihood that the intussusception will recur."

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5. The nurse is caring for a 2-year-old child who was admitted to the pediatric unit for moderate dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea. The child is noted to be restless, with periods of irritability. The child is afebrile with a heart rate of 148 and a blood pressure of 90/42. Baseline laboratory tests reveal the following: Na 152, Cl 119, and glucose 115.The parents state that the child has not urinated in 12 hours. After estab lishing a saline lock, the nurse reviews the physician's orders. Which of the following orders should the nurse question? 1. Administer a saline bolus of 10 mL/kg, which may repeat if child does not urinate. 2. Recheck serum electrolytes in 12 hours. 3. After the saline bolus, begin maintenance fluids of D5 1/4 NS with 10 mEq KCl/L. 4. Give clear liquid diet as tolerated.

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6. The nurse in the pediatric clinic receives a call from the parent of a 5-year-old and states that the child has been having diarrhea for 24 hours. The parent explains that the child vomited twice 2 hours ago and now claims to be thirsty. The parent asks what to offer the child because the child is refusing Pedialyte. Select the nurse's most appropriate response. 1. "You can offer clear diet soda such as Sprite and ginger ale." 2. "Pedialyte is really the best thing for your child, who, if thirsty enough, will eventually drink it." 3. "Pedialyte is really the best thing for your child. Allow your child some choice in the way to take it. Try offering small amounts in a spoon, medicine cup, or syringe." 4. "It really does not matter what your child drinks as long as it is kept down. Try offering small amounts of fluids in medicine cups."

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7. The nurse is caring for a 9-month-old with diarrhea secondary to rotavirus. The child has not vomited and is mildly dehydrated. The nurse is sending the child home. Which of the following is likely to be included in the discharge teaching? 1. Administer Immodium as needed. 2. Administer Kaopectate as needed. 3. Continue breastfeeding per routine. 4. The infant may return to day care 24 hours after antibiotics have been started.

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1. The nurse is teaching feeding techniques to new parents. The nurse emphasizes the importance of slowly warming the formula and testing the temperature prior to feed ing the infant. The parent of a newborn asks, "Will my baby spit out the formula if it is too hot or too cold?" Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Babies have a tendency to reject hot fluids but not cold fluids, which could result in abdominal discomfort." 2. "Babies have a tendency to reject cold fluids but not hot fluids, which could result in esophageal burns." 3. "Your baby would most likely spit out formula that was too hot, but your baby could swallow some of it, which could result in a burn." 4. "Your baby is too young to be physically capable of spitting out fluids and will automatically swallow anything."

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16. The nurse is caring for an 8-week-old male who has just been diagnosed with Hirschsprung disease. The parents ask what they should expect. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "It is really an easy disease to manage. Most children are placed on stool softeners to help with constipation until the constipation resolves." 2. "A permanent stool diversion, called a colostomy, will be placed by the surgeon to bypass the narrowed area." 3. "Daily bowel irrigations will help your child maintain regular bowel habits." 4. "Although your child will require surgery, there are different ways to manage the disease, depending on how much of your child's bowel is involved."

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17. The nurse is caring for a 2-month-old infant diagnosed with GER. Which of the following should the nurse include in the plan of care to decrease the incidence of symptoms of GER? 1. Place the infant in an infant seat immediately after feedings. 2. Place the infant in the prone position immediately after feeding to decrease the risk of aspiration. 3. Encourage the parents not to worry because most infants outgrow GER within the first year of life. 4. Encourage the parents to hold the infant in an upright position for 30 minutes following a feeding.

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21. The nurse is caring for a 10-year-old who is being evaluated for possible appendicitis. The child has been complaining of nausea and sharp abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant. An abdominal ultrasound is scheduled, and a blood count has been obtained. The child vomits, finds the pain relieved, and calls the nurse. Which of the following should be the nurse's next action? 1. Cancel the ultrasound, and obtain an order for oral Zofran. 2. Cancel the ultrasound, and prepare to administer an intravenous bolus. 3. Prepare for the probable discharge of the patient. 4. Immediately notify the physician of the child's status.

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24. The nurse is about to receive a 4-year-old from the recovery room after an appendectomy for a non-ruptured appendix. The parents have not seen the child since the surgery and ask what to expect. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "Your child will be very sleepy, have an intravenous line in the hand, and have a nasal tube to help drain the stomach. If your child needs pain medication, it will be given intravenously." 2. "Your child will be very sleepy, have an intravenous line in the hand, and have white stockings to help prevent blood clots. If your child needs pain medication, we will give it intravenously or provide a liquid to swallow." 3. "Your child will be wide awake and will have an intravenous line in the hand. If your child needs pain medication, we will give it intravenously or provide a liquid to swallow." 4. "Your child will be very sleepy and will have an intravenous line in the hand. If your child needs pain medication, we will give it intravenously."

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34. The parents of a newborn diagnosed with a cleft lip and palate ask the nurse when their child's lip and palate will most likely be repaired. Select the nurse's best response. 1. "The palate and the lip are usually repaired in the first few weeks of life so that the baby can grow and gain weight." 2. "The palate and the lip are usually not repaired until the baby is approximately 6 months old so that the mouth has had enough time to grow." 3. "The lip is repaired in the first few months of life, but the palate is not usually repaired until the child is 3 years old." 4. "The lip is repaired in the first few weeks of life, but the palate is not usually re paired until the child is 18 months old."

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39. The nurse is in the room while a mother of a newborn is feeding her infant for the first time. The baby immediately begins coughing and choking. The nurse notes that the baby is extremely cyanotic. Which of the following should be the nurse's immediate action? 1. Call the physician, and inform the physician of the situation. 2. Have the mother stop feeding the infant, and observe to see if the choking episode resolves on its own. 3. Immediately determine the infant's oxygen saturation, and have the mother stop feeding the infant. 4. Take the infant from the mother, and administer blow-by oxygen while obtaining the infant's oxygen saturation.

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49. A nurse working in an emergency room of a large pediatric hospital receives a transfer call from a reporting nurse at a local community hospital. The nurse will soon receive a 4-month-old who has been diagnosed with an intussusception. The infant is described as very lethargic with the following vital signs, T 101.8°F (38.7°C), HR 181, BP 68/38. The reporting nurse states the infant's abdomen is very rigid. Which of the following is the most appropriate action for the receiving nurse? 1. Prepare to accompany the infant to a computed tomography scan to confirm the diagnosis. 2. Prepare to accompany the infant to the radiology department for a reducing enema. 3. Prepare to start a second intravenous line to administer fluids and antibiotics. 4. Prepare to get the infant ready for immediate surgical correction.

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35. The nurse is caring for a newborn with a cleft lip and palate. The mother states, "I will not be able to breastfeed my baby." Select the nurse's best response. 1. "It sounds like you are feeling discouraged. Would you like to talk about it?" 2. "Sometimes breastfeeding is still an option for babies with a cleft lip and palate. Would you like more information?" 3. "Although breastfeeding is not an option, you have the option of pumping your milk and then feeding it to your baby with a special nipple." 4. "We usually discourage breastfeeding babies with cleft lip and palate as it puts them at an increased risk for aspiration."

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43. The nurse is providing discharge teaching to the parents of an infant with an umbilical hernia. Which of the following should be included in the plan of care? 1. If the hernia has not resolved on its own by the age of 12 months, surgery is generally recommended. 2. If the hernia appears to be more swollen or tender, seek medical care immediately. 3. To help the hernia resolve, place a pressure dressing over the area gently. 4. If the hernia is repaired surgically, there is a strong likelihood that it will return.

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46. The nurse is caring for a 7-week-old scheduled for a pyloromyotomy in 24 hours. Which of the following would the nurse expect to find in the plan of care? 1. Keep infant NPO; begin intravenous fluids at maintenance. 2. Keep infant NPO; begin intravenous fluids at maintenance; place NGT to low wall suction. 3. Obtain serum electrolytes; keep infant NPO; do not attempt to pass NGT due to obstruction from pylorus. 4. Offer infant small frequent feedings; keep NPO 6 to 8 hours before surgery.

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