h- pediatric success Respiratory Chapter 4

22. A 3-year-old female is admitted to the hospital with asthma. The nurse is trying to work with the child on breathing exercises to increase her expiratory phase. What should the nurse have the child do? 1. Use an incentive spirometer. 2. Breathe into a paper bag. 3. Blow a pinwheel. 4. Take several deep breaths.

3. Blowing a pinwheel is an excellent means of increasing a child's expira tory phase. Play is an effective means of engaging a child in therapeutic activities. Blowing bubbles is another method to increase the child's expiratory phase.

18. A 2-year-old is diagnosed with asthma. The parents are big sports fans and want their child to play sports. The parents ask the nurse what impact asthma will have on the child's future in sports. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "As long as your child takes prescribed asthma medication, the child will be fine." 2. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the more significant the symptoms." 3. "The earlier a child is diagnosed with asthma, the better the chance the child has of growing out of the disease." 4. "Your child should avoid playing contact sports and sports that require a lot of running."

2. When a child is diagnosed with asthma at an early age, the child is more likely to have significant symptoms on aging.

52. A 5-year-old is brought to the ER with a temperature of 99.5° F (37.5°C), a barky cough, stridor, and hoarseness. Which of the following nursing interventions should the nurse prepare for? 1. Immediate IV placement. 2. Respiratory treatment of racemic epinephrine. 3. A tracheostomy set at the bedside. 4. Informing the child's parents about a tonsillectomy.

2. The child has stridor, indicating airway edema, which can be relieved by aerosolized racemic epinephrine.

33. A physician prescribes 10 days of amoxicillin to treat a 6-year-old male with an ear infection. The nurse is reviewing discharge instructions with the parent. Which information should be included in the discharge instructions? 1. "Administer the amoxicillin until the child's symptoms subside." 2. "Administer an over-the-counter antihistamine with the antibiotic." 3. "Administer the amoxicillin until all the medication is gone." 4. "Allow your child to administer his own dose of amoxicillin."

3. It is essential that all the medication be given.*

16. A pediatric client is admitted to the ER with an acute asthma exacerbation. The nurse tells the parents that blood will have to be drawn for some diagnostic laboratory studies. Which laboratory result will provide the health-care team with the most important information regarding the child's respiratory status? 1. A CBC. 2. An ABG. 3. A BUN. 4. A PTT.

2. The ABG gives the health-care team valuable information about the child's respiratory status: level of oxygenation, carbon dioxide, and blood pH.

55. Which of the following children diagnosed with pneumonia would benefit most from hospitalization? 1. A 14-year-old with a fever of 38.6°C (101.5°F), rapid breathing, and a decreased appetite. 2. A 15-year-old who has been vomiting for 3 days and has a fever of 38.5°C (101.3°F). 3. A 13-year-old who is coughing, has coarse breath sounds, and is not sleeping well. 4. A 16-year-old who has a cough, chills, fever of 38.5°C (101.3°F), and wheezing.

2. The teen who has been vomiting for several days and is unable to tolerate oral fluids and medication should be admitted for intravenous hydration.

35. Which of the following children would benefit most from having ear tubes placed? 1. A 2-month-old who has had one ear infection. 2. A 2-year-old who has had five previous ear infections. 3. A 7-year-old who has had two ear infections this year. 4. A 3-year-old whose sibling has had four ear infections.

2. A 2-year-old who has had multiple ear infections is a perfect candidate for ear tubes. The other issue is that a 2-year-old is at the height of language development, which can be adversely affected by recurrent ear infections.

5. The parent of an 18-year-old with CF is excited about the possibility of the child receiving a double lung transplant. What should the parent understand? 1. The transplant will cure the child of CF and allow the child to lead a long and healthy life. 2. The transplant will not cure the child of CF but will allow the child to have a longer life. 3. The transplant will help to reverse the multisystem damage that has already been caused by CF. 4. The transplant will be the child's only chance at surviving long enough to graduate college.

2. A lung transplant does not cure CF, but it does offer the patient an opportunity to live a longer life. The concerns are that, after the lung transplant, the child is at risk for rejection of the new organ and for development of secondary infec tions because of the immunosuppressive therapy.

4. The parent of a 10-month-old with CF asks the nurse how to meet the child's increased nutritional needs. Which is the nurse's best suggestion? 1. "You may need to increase the number of fresh fruits and vegetables you give your child each day." 2. "You may need to advance your child's diet to whole cow's milk because it is higher in fat than formula." 3. "You may need to change your child to a higher-calorie formula." 4. "You may need to increase your child's carbohydrate intake each day."

3. Often infants with CF need to have a higher-calorie formula to meet their nutritional needs. Infants may also be placed on hydrolysate formulas that contain added medium-chain triglycerides.

7. A female child with CF is hospitalized with constipation. The parent asks the nurse what will need to be done to relieve the child's constipation. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Your child likely has an obstruction and will require surgery." 2. "Your child will likely be given IV fluids to relieve her constipation." 3. "Your child will likely be given GoLYTELY to relieve her constipation." 4. "Your child will be placed on a clear liquid diet to relieve her constipation."

3. CF patients with constipation commonly receive a stool softener or an osmotic so lution orally to relieve their constipation.

21. There are several children in the ER waiting area who all have asthma. The nurse has only one room left in the ER. Based on the following information, which child should be seen first? 1. A 5-year-old who is speaking in complete sentences, is pink in color, is wheezing bilaterally, and has an oxygen saturation of 93%. 2. A 9-year-old who is quiet, is pale in color, and is wheezing bilaterally with an oxygen saturation of 92%. 3. A 12-month-old who has a mild cry, is pale in color, has diminished breath sounds, and has an oxygen saturation of 93%. 4. A 16-year-old who is speaking in short sentences, is wheezing, is sitting upright, and has an oxygen saturation of 93%.

3. This child is exhibiting signs of severe asthma. This child should be seen first. The child no longer has wheezes and now has diminished breath signs.

36. A 2-month-old is diagnosed with otitis. The parent asks the nurse if the otitis will have any long-term effects for the child. Understanding the complications that can occur with otitis, which is the nurse's best response? 1. "The child could suffer hearing loss." 2. "The child could suffer some speech delays." 3. "The child could suffer recurrent ear infections." 4. "The child could require ear tubes."

3. When children acquire an ear infection at such a young age, there is an in creased risk of recurrent infections.*

37. A 6-month-old is diagnosed with an ear infection. The parents report that the child is not sleeping well and is crying frequently. The child also has a moderate amount of yellow drainage coming from the infected ear. This is the parents' first baby. Which of the following nursing objectives is the priority for this family at this time? 1. Educating the parents about signs and symptoms of an ear infection. 2. Providing emotional support for the parents. 3. Providing pain relief for the child. 4. Promoting the flow of drainage from the ear.

3. Providing pain relief for the infant is essential. With pain relief, the child will likely stop crying and rest better.*

60. The community health nurse is teaching a child-safety class to parents of toddlers. Which information will be most helpful in teaching the parents about the primary prevention of foreign body aspiration? 1. Knowledge of the signs and symptoms of foreign body aspiration. 2. Knowledge of the therapeutic management of foreign body aspiration patients. 3. Knowledge of the most common objects that toddlers aspirate. 4. Knowledge of the risks associated with foreign body aspiration.

3. Teaching parents the most common objects aspirated by toddlers will help them the most. Parents can avoid having those items in the household or in locations where toddlers may have access to them.

38. A 2-year-old is admitted to the hospital in respiratory distress. The physician tells the parents that the child probably has RSV. The parents ask the nurse how they will determine if their child has RSV. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "We will need to do a simple blood test to determine whether your child has RSV." 2. "There is no specific test for RSV. The diagnosis is made based on the child's symptoms." 3. "We will swab your child's nose and send those secretions for testing." 4. "We will have to send a viral culture to an outside lab for testing."

3. The child is swabbed for nasal secre tions. The secretions are tested to determine if a child has RSV.*

3. The parent of a 4-month-old with CF asks the nurse what time to begin the child's first CPT each day. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "You should do the first CPT 30 minutes before feeding the child breakfast." 2. "You should do the first CPT after deep-suctioning the child each morning." 3. "You should do the first CPT 30 minutes after feeding the child breakfast." 4. "You should do the first CPT only when the child has congestion or coughing."

1. CPT should be done in the morning prior to feeding to avoid the risk of the child vomiting.

58. A 3-year-old is brought to the ER with coughing and gagging. The parent reports that the child was eating carrots when she began to gag. What diagnostic evaluation will be used to determine if the child has aspirated the carrot? 1. A chest x-ray will be taken. 2. A bronchoscopy will be performed. 3. A blood gas will be drawn. 4. A sputum culture will be done.

2. A bronchoscopy will allow the physi cian to visualize the airway and will help determine if the child aspirated the carrot.

1. The nurse caring for a female pediatric client with CF sends a stool for analysis. The results show an excessive amount of azotorrhea and steatorrhea. What does the nurse realize about the laboratory values? 1. They reflect that the patient is not compliant with taking her vitamins. 2. They reflect that the patient is not compliant with taking her enzymes. 3. They reflect that the patient is eating too many foods high in fat. 4. They reflect that the patient is eating too many foods high in fiber.

2. If the patient were not taking her en zymes, the result would be a large amount of undigested food, azotorrhea, and steatorrhea in the stool. CF patients must take digestive enzymes with all meals and snacks. Pancreatic ducts become clogged with thick mucus that blocks the flow of digestive enzymes from the pancreas to the duodenum. Therefore, patients must take digestive enzymes to aid in absorption of nutri ents. Often, teens are noncompliant with their medication regimen because they want to be like their peers.

31. The nurse is caring for a 22-month-old male who has had repeated bouts of otitis media. The nurse is educating the parents about otitis media. Which of the following statements from the parents indicates they need additional teaching? 1. "If I quit smoking, my child may have less chance of getting an ear infection." 2. "As my child gets older, he should have fewer ear infections, because his immune system will be more developed." 3. "My child will have fewer ear infections if he has his tonsils removed." 4. "My child may need a speech evaluation."

3. Removing children's tonsils may not have any effect on their ear infection. Children who have repeated bouts of tonsillitis can have ear infections sec ondary to the tonsillitis, but there is no indication in this question that the child has a problem with tonsillitis.*

50. A 3-year-old is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of epiglottitis. The child is in severe distress and needs to be intubated. The mother is crying and tells the nurse that she should have brought her son in yesterday when he said his throat was sore. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Children this age rarely get epiglottitis; you should not blame yourself." 2. "It is always better to have your child evaluated at the first sign of illness rather than wait until symptoms worsen." 3. "Epiglottitis is slowly progressive, so early intervention may have decreased the extent of your son's symptoms." 4. "Epiglottitis is rapidly progressive; you could not have predicted that his symptoms would worsen so quickly."

4. Epiglottitis is rapidly progressive and cannot be predicted.*

59. The parent of a 9-month-old calls the ER because his child is choking on a marble.The parent tells the nurse that he knows cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The parent asks how to help his child while waiting for Emergency Medical Services. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "You should administer five abdominal thrusts followed by five back blows." 2. "You should try to retrieve the object by inserting your finger in your daughter's mouth." 3. "You should perform the Heimlich maneuver." 4. "You should administer five back blows followed by five chest thrusts."

4. The current recommendation for in fants younger than 1 year is to admin ister five back blows followed by five chest thrusts.

20. A 7-year-old female with asthma is playing a soccer game in gym class. During the game the child begins to cough, wheeze, and have difficulty catching her breath. The school nurse is called to the soccer field. Which of the following should the nurse administer to provide quick relief? 1. Prednisone. 2. Singulair. 3. Albuterol. 4. Flovent.

3. Albuterol is the quick-relief bron chodilator of choice for treating an asthma attack.

9. A 7-month-old is taken to the pediatrician's office with a low-grade fever, nasal congestion, and a mild cough. Which should the nursing care management of this child include? 1. Maintaining strict bedrest. 2. Avoiding contact with family members. 3. Instilling saline nose drops and bulb suctioning. 4. Keeping the head of the bed flat.

3. Infants are nose breathers and often have increased difficulty when they are congested. Nasal saline drops and gen tle suctioning with a bulb syringe are often recommended.

42. A 6-year-old presents to the ER with respiratory distress and stridor. The child is diagnosed with RSV. The parent asks the child's nurse how the child will be treated. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "We will treat your child with intravenous antibiotics." 2. "We will treat your child with intravenous steroids." 3. "We will treat your child with nebulized racemic epinephrine." 4. "We will treat your child with alternating doses of Tylenol and Motrin."

3. Racemic epinephrine promotes mucosal vasoconstriction.*

17. A pediatric client is admitted in status asthmaticus. The parent reports that the child is currently taking Singulair, albuterol, and Flovent. What is the most important piece of information that the nurse must ask the parent in order to best treat the patient? 1. "What time did your child eat last?" 2. "Has your child been exposed to any of the usual asthma triggers?" 3. "When was your child last admitted to the hospital for asthma?" 4. "When was your child's last dose of medication?"

4. The nurse needs to know what med ication the child had last and when the child took it in order to know how to begin treatment for the current asthmatic condition.

32. The parent of a 10-month-old male brings the child to the pediatrician's office with URI symptoms and a fever. The parent asks the nurse what can be done at home to improve the child's current condition. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Give your child small amounts of fluid every hour to prevent dehydration." 2. "Give your child Robitussin at night to reduce his cough and help him sleep." 3. "Give your child a baby aspirin every 4 to 6 hours to help reduce the fever." 4. "Give your child an over-the-counter cold medicine at night."

*32. 1. It is essential that parents ensure that their children remain hydrated during a URI. The best way to accomplish thi is by giving small amounts of fluid frequently.*

61. What does the therapeutic management of CF patients include? Select all that apply. 1. Providing a high-protein, high-calorie diet. 2. Providing a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. 3. Encouraging exercise. 4. Minimizing pulmonary complication. 5. Encouraging medication compliance.

1, 3, 4, 5.

54. Which of the following statements about pneumonia is accurate? 1. Pneumonia is most frequently caused by bacterial agents. 2. Children with bacterial pneumonia are usually sicker than children with viral pneumonia. 3. Children with viral pneumonia are usually sicker than those with bacterial pneumonia. 4. Children with viral pneumonia must be treated with a complete course of antibiotics.

2. Children with bacterial pneumonia are usually sicker than children with viral pneumonia. Children with bacterial pneumonia can be treated effectively, but they require a course of antibiotics.

25. A 2-month-old is seen in the pediatrician's office for his 2-month well-child checkup. The nurse is assessing the patient and reports to the physician that the child is exhibiting early signs of respiratory distress. Which of the following would indicate an early sign of distress? 1. The infant is breathing shallowly. 2. The infant has tachypnea. 3. The infant has tachycardia. 4. The infant has bradycardia.

2. Tachypnea is an early sign of distress and is often the first sign of respiratory illness in infants.

2. Which of the following statements about the inheritance of CF is most accurate? 1. CF is an autosomal-dominant trait that is passed on from the child's mother. 2. CF is an autosomal-dominant trait that is passed on from the child's father. 3. The child of parents who are both carriers of the gene for CF has a 50% chance of acquiring CF. 4. The child of a mother who has CF and a father who is a carrier of the gene for CF has a 50% chance of acquiring CF.

4. If the child is born to a mother with CF and a father who is a carrier, the child has a 50% chance of acquiring the dis ease and a 50% chance of being a carrier of the disease.

39. An 8-month-old male twin is in the hospital with RSV. The nurse educated the parent on how to prevent the healthy twin at home from contracting RSV. Which statement indicates the parent needs further teaching? 1. "I should make sure that both my children receive Synagis injections for the remainder of this year." 2. "I should be sure to keep my infected son away from his brother until he has recovered." 3. "I should insist that all people who come in contact with my twins thoroughly wash their hands before playing with them." 4. "I should insist that anyone with a respiratory illness avoid contact with my children until the children are well."

*39. 1. Synagis will not help the child who has already contracted the illness. Synagis is an immunization and a method of primary prevention.*

44. Which of the following children is in the greatest need of emergency medical treatment? 1. A 6-year-old who has high fever, no spontaneous cough, and frog-like croaking. 2. A 3-year-old who has a barky cough, is afebrile, and has mild intercostal retractions. 3. A 7-year-old who has abrupt onset of moderate respiratory distress, a mild fever, and a barky cough. 4. A 13-year-old who has a high fever, stridor, and purulent secretions.

*44. 1. This child has signs and symptoms of epiglottitis and should receive immedi ate emergency medical treatment. The patient has no spontaneous cough and has a frog-like croaking because of a significant airway obstruction.* 2. This child has signs and symptoms of acute laryngitis and is not in a significant amount of distress. 3. This child has signs and symptoms of LTB and is not in significant respiratory distress. 4. This child has signs and symptoms of bac terial tracheitis and should be treated with antibiotics but is not the patient in the most significant amount of distress.

19. The parent of a pediatric client with asthma is talking to the nurse about administering the child's albuterol inhaler. Which statement by the parent leads the nurse to believe that the parent needs further education on how to administer the medication? 1. "I should administer two quick puffs of the albuterol inhaler using a spacer." 2. "I should always use a spacer when administering the albuterol inhaler." 3. "I should be sure that my child is in an upright position when administering the inhaler." 4. "I should always shake the inhaler before administering a dose."

19. 1. The parent should always give one puff at a time and should wait 1 minute be fore administering the second puff.

56. A pediatric client is admitted to the hospital with left-sided pneumonia. The client is complaining of pain and wants to be repositioned in the bed. The nurse knows the patient may be most comfortable in which position? 1. Lying in the Trendelenburg position. 2. Lying on the left side. 3. Lying on the right side. 4. Lying in the supine position.

2. Lying on the left side may provide the patient with the most comfort. Lying on the left splints the chest and reduces the pleural rubbing.

46. A 15-month-old is brought to the ER. The parents tell the nurse that the child has not been eating well and has had an increased respiratory rate. Which of the following assessments is of greatest concern? 1. The patient is lying down and has moderate retractions, low-grade fever, and nasal congestion. 2. The patient is in the tripod position and has diminished breath sounds and a muffled cough. 3. The patient is sitting up and has coarse breath sounds, coughing, and fussiness. 4. The patient is restless, crying, has bilateral wheezes and poor feeding.

2. When children are sitting in the tripod position, that is an indication they are having difficulty breathing. The child is sitting and leaning forward in order to breathe more easily. Diminished breath sounds indicate that there is fluid in the lungs and are indicative of a worsening condition. A muffled cough indicates that the child has some subglottic edema. This child has several signs and symptoms of a worsening respiratory condition.

53. A 3-year-old is seen in the physician's office for a dry, hacking cough that is preventing the child from sleeping. The child is diagnosed with a URI. Which of the following interventions is most appropriate for this patient? 1. The child should be given cough suppressants at night. 2. The child should be given a cough expectorant every 4 hours. 3. The child should be given cold and flu medication every 8 hours. 4. The child should be given 1/2 teaspoon honey four to five times per day.

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8. The parents of a 5-week-old have just been told that their child has CF. The mother had a sister who died of CF when she was 19 years of age. The parents are sad and ask the nurse several questions about CF and the current projected life expectancy. What is the nurse's best initial intervention? 1. The nurse should tell the parents that the life expectancy for CF patients has improved significantly in recent years. 2. The nurse should tell the parents that their child might not follow the same course that the mother's sister did. 3. The nurse should listen to the parents and tell them that the physician will come to speak to them about treatment options. 4. The nurse should listen to the parents and be available to them anytime during the day to answer their questions.

4. The nurse's best intervention is to let the parents express their concerns and fears. The nurse should be available if the parents have any other concerns or questions or if they just need someone with whom to talk.

48. A 2-year-old child is brought to the ER with a high fever, dysphagia, drooling, rapid pulse, and tachypnea. What should the nurse's first action be? 1. Prepare for immediate IV placement. 2. Prepare for immediate respiratory treatment. 3. Place the child on a stretcher for a thorough physical assessment. 4. Allow the child to sit in the parent's lap while awaiting an x-ray.

4. This child is exhibiting signs and symptoms of epiglottitis and should be kept as comfortable as possible. The child should be allowed to remain in the parent's lap until a lateral neck film is obtained for a definitive diagnosis.*

6. A 2-year-old has just been diagnosed with CF. The parents ask the nurse what early respiratory symptoms they should expect to see in their child. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "You can expect your child to develop a barrel-shaped chest." 2. "You can expect your child to develop a chronic productive cough." 3. "You can expect your child to develop bronchiectasis." 4. "You can expect your child to develop wheezing respirations."

4. Wheezing respirations and a dry non productive cough are common early symptoms in CF.

43. The parent of a pediatric client calls the ER. The parent reports that the child has had a barky cough for the last 3 days and it always gets worse at night. The parent asks the nurse what to do. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Take your child outside in the night air for 15 minutes." 2. "Bring your child to the ER immediately." 3. "Give your child an over-the-counter cough suppressant." 4. "Give your child warm liquids to soothe the throat."

43. *1. The night air will help decrease sub glottic edema, easing the child's respi ratory effort. The coughing should diminish significantly, and the child should be able to rest comfortably. If the symptoms do not improve after taking the child outside, the parent should have the child seen by a health-care provider.*

49. A pediatric client is diagnosed with epiglottitis. The parents ask the nurse what treatment their child will receive. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Your child will need to complete a course of intravenous antibiotics." 2. "Your child will need to have surgery to remove her tonsils." 3. "Your child will need 10 days of aerosolized ribavirin." 4. "Your child will recover without any intervention in about 5 days."

1. Epiglottitis is bacterial in nature and requires intravenous antibiotics. A 7- to 10-day course of oral antibiotics is usually ordered following the intra venous course of antibiotics.*

40. Which of the following patients is at highest risk for requiring hospitalization as a result of RSV? 1. A 3-year-old with a congenital heart defect. 2. A 2-month-old who is a former 32-week preemie. 3. A 4-year-old who is a former 30-week preemie. 4. A sixteen-month-old with a tracheostomy.

2. The younger the child, the greater the risk for developing complications re lated to RSV. The age and the prema ture status of this child make the the patient the highest risk.*

34. The parent of a pediatric client who has had frequent ear infections asks the nurse if there is anything that can be done to help the child avoid future ear infections. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Your child should be put on a daily dose of Singulair." 2. "Your child should be kept away from tobacco smoke." 3. "Your child should be kept away from other children with otitis." 4. "Your child should always wear a hat when outside."

2. Tobacco smoke has been proved to increase the incidence of ear infec tions. The tobacco smoke damages mucociliary function, prolonging the inflammatory process and impeding drainage through the eustachian tube.*

47. A 3-year-old female is admitted to the ER with drooling, difficulty swallowing, sore throat, and a fever of 39°C (102.2° F). The physician suspects epiglottitis. The parents ask the nurse how the physician will know for sure if their daughter has epiglottitis. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "A simple blood test will tell us if your daughter has epiglottitis." 2. "We will swab your daughter's throat and send it for culture." 3. "We will do a lateral neck x-ray of the soft tissue." 4. "The diagnosis is made based on your daughter's signs and symptoms."

3. A lateral neck x-ray is the method used to diagnose epiglottitis definitively. The child is at risk for complete airway obstruction and should always be ac companied by a nurse to the x-ray department.*

23. The parents of a 6-year-old who has a new diagnosis of asthma asks the nurse what to do to make their home a more allergy-free environment for the child. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Use a humidifier in your child's room." 2. "Have your carpet cleaned chemically once a month." 3. "Wash household pets weekly." 4. "Avoid purchasing upholstered furniture."

4. Leather furniture is recommended rather than upholstered furniture. Upholstered furniture can harbor large amounts of dust, whereas leather furniture may be wiped off regularly with a damp cloth.

51. A 2-year-old is admitted to the hospital with croup. The parent tells the nurse that her 7-year-old just had croup and it cleared up in a couple of days without intervention. She asks the nurse why her 2-year-old is exhibiting worse symptoms and needs to be hospitalized. Which is the nurse's best response? 1. "Some children just react differently to viruses. It is best to treat each child as an individual." 2. "Younger children have wider airways that make it easier for bacteria to enter and colonize." 3. "Younger children have short and wide eustachian tubes, making them more susceptible to respiratory infections." 4. "Children younger than 3 years usually exhibit worse symptoms because their immune systems are not as developed."

4. Younger children have less developed immune systems and usually exhibit worse symptoms than older children.