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COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS that DEVELOP during INFANCY AND THEIR NURSING INTERVENTIONS

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COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS that DEVELOP during INFANCY INTUSSUSCEPTIONS Is the invagination or telescoping of a portion of the intestine into a adjacent, more distal section of the intestine causin ... g mechanical obstruction. It occurs in children younger than age 3, most commonly ages 5 to 10 months. CAUSES: • The causes of intussusception are not fully known. • Most cases in young children are idiopatic. • Although some viral and bacterial infections of the intestine may possibly contribute to intussusception in infancy. Ex. Salmonella typhi and Escherichia coli. SIGNS and SYMPTOMS • Children with this disorder suddenly draw up their legs and cry due to severe pain. • Blood in stool, or later “currant jelly” stools containing sloughed mucosa, blood, and mucus. • Vomiting. • Increasing absence of stools. SIGNS and SYMPTOMS • Abdominal distention, bowel sound diminished, absent or high pitch. • Sausage like mass palpable in abdomen (Dance’s sign). • Unusual looking anus; may look like rectal prolapse. • Dehydration and fever • Shock like state with rapid pulse, pallor, and marked sweating. DIAGNOSIS: The presence of the intussusceptions are confirmed by the ultrasound or a CT scan. MANAGEMENT: • The initial treatment of choice is nonsurgical hydrostatic reduction by barium enema. (The enema increases the pressure in the child's intestine, which can often cause the affected area to return to its normal position) • If nonsurgical reduction is unsuccessful, a surgical reduction is indicated NURSING INTEVENTIONS: • Administer I.V. fluids as ordered. If the patient is in shock, give blood or plasma as ordered. • A nasogastric tube is inserted to decompress the bowel. • Replace volume lost as ordered. NURSING INTEVENTIONS: • Prepare the patient for hydrostatic reduction and answer question to allay fears. • Monitor vital signs frequently. • Check intake and output and watch for signs of dehydration and bleeding. • Monitor amount and type of drainage from the nasogastric tube. NURSING INTEVENTIONS: • Explain what happens in intussuseption to the patient and his family. • If surgery is required, provide preoperative teaching. • To minimize the stress of hospitalization, encourage patient to participate in their child’s care as much as possible. NURSING INTEVENTIONS: • Be alert for respiratory distress due to abdominal distention. • Monitor pain, distention, and general behavior preoperatively and postoperatively. • Observe infant’s behavior as indicator of pain; may be irritable and very sensitive to handling or lethargic or unresponsive. Handle the infant g [Show More]

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