Author Question: A preschool-age client is diagnosed with epilepsy. The child's mother is crying as she tells the ... (Read 22 times)

ashley · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

A preschool-age client is diagnosed with epilepsy. The child's mother is crying as she tells the nurse, I know that this is my fault. I did drugs before I knew I was pregnant. Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

1. That is most likely not the reason your child has epilepsy.
2. The most important thing now is getting good care for your child.
3. Women who take drugs during pregnancy have to realize they are possibly hurting their baby.
4. Medical testing can tell when the damage occurred.

Question 2

A parent tells the nurse, The doctor says my son has epilepsy, but he has never had a convulsion. How can that be? Which response by the nurse to the parent is the most appropriate?

1. He will probably develop convulsions as he gets older.
2. Some epileptics do not have seizures.
3. Convulsions are not part of all epileptic conditions.
4. The convulsions common in young boys are usually silent.

sultana.d · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: Epilepsy could be caused by exposure to substances prenatally. The nurse does not know that is not the case in this situation.
Rationale 2: The reason the child has epilepsy is not as important as obtaining appropriate care for the child today.
Rationale 3: While it is true that women should realize that actions taken in pregnancy can affect the child, this is not the therapeutic response to this mother.
Rationale 4: Medical testing cannot tell when the damage occurred, and this statement reinforces the blame-placing and guilt expressed by the mother's statements.
Global Rationale: The reason the child has epilepsy is not as important as obtaining appropriate care for the child today. Epilepsy could be caused by exposure to substances prenatally. The nurse does not know that is not the case in this situation. While it is true that women should realize that actions taken in pregnancy can affect the child, this is not the therapeutic response to this mother. Medical testing cannot tell when the damage occurred, and this statement reinforces the blame-placing and guilt expressed by the mother's statements.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale 1: Most children with absence seizures (seizures without convulsions) will outgrow the disorder and not progress to tonicclonic seizure activity.
Rationale 2: All epileptics have seizures, but not all seizures manifest as convulsions.
Rationale 3: Some epileptic conditions manifest seizure activity that does not include the tonicclonic convulsion. An example of this type of seizure is the absence seizure, which is most often seen in children.
Rationale 4: Young boys may have absence seizures that are silent or do not manifest in convulsions, but they may also have classic tonicclonic seizure activity.
Global Rationale: Some epileptic conditions manifest seizure activity that does not include the tonicclonic convulsion. An example of this type of seizure is the absence seizure, which is most often seen in children. Most children with absence seizures (seizures without convulsions) will outgrow the disorder and not progress to tonicclonic seizure activity. All epileptics have seizures, but not all seizures manifest as convulsions. Young boys may have absence seizures that are silent or do not manifest in convulsions, but they may also have classic tonicclonic seizure activity.