A frustrated mother comes to a 9-month well-baby checkup complaining to you that her son is refusing all of the solid food she gives him. When talking with this mother, the nurse discovers that she has struggled all her life with a weight problem.
She attributes this problem to being forced to eat all of the food she was served as a child, even when she was full. Because she doesn't want to cause the same problem in her child, she tells the nurse that each time her son pushes food away with his tongue she believes that he doesn't want it. Which of the following statements would be most appropriate for the nurse to say to this mother?
A) The baby might be allergic to the particular foods you offered, so try different kinds of food.
B) Since your baby is a fussy eater, have more than one food available at each feeding so he can choose a food he likes.
C) The baby might not be ready for solid food, so wait a month or so and try again.
D) The baby needs to learn how to move the food to the back of the mouth for swallowing, so catch the food and offer it again until the baby learns this.
Question 2
A child who is dying becomes restless and fidgety, then becomes calm and peaceful. The caregivers feel hopeful that the child seems better.
Of the following statements made by the nurse, which would be the best for the nurse to tell the caregivers about this pattern?
A) This pattern is part of dying; the child's death is imminent.
B) This pattern is not unusual in a dying child and might happen over and over again.
C) This pattern suggests that the child is feeling more comfortable and has less distress from the illness.
D) This pattern is consistent with medication cycles. The fidgeting is caused by pain, and the calmness is a sign that the pain has been controlled with medicine.
