A breastfed newborn has just been diagnosed with galactosemia. The therapeutic management for this newborn is to:
Stop breastfeeding
Add amino acids to the breast milk
Substitute a lactose-containing formula for breast milk
Give the appropriate enzyme along with breast milk.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason:
Stop breastfeeding. This is the correct answer because newborns and infants with galactosemia cannot metabolize galactose, a sugar found in milk and lactose-containing formulas, including breast milk. Galactose can build up in their blood and cause serious complications such as liver damage, cataracts, brain damage, and even death. Therefore, the therapeutic management for this newborn is to stop breastfeeding and switch to a soy or elemental formula that contains no galactose.
Choice B reason:
Add amino acids to the breast milk. This is incorrect because adding amino acids to breast milk will not prevent the accumulation of galactose in the newborn's blood. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, not sugars. Adding amino acids to breast milk will not change its galactose content or help the newborn metabolize it.
Choice C reason:
Substitute a lactose-containing formula for breast milk. This is incorrect because lactose is a disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose. Lactose-containing formulas will also expose the newborn to galactose, which they cannot break down. Lactose-containing formulas should be avoided in newborns and infants with galactosemia.
Choice D reason:
Give the appropriate enzyme along with breast milk. This is incorrect because there is no enzyme therapy available for galactosemia. Galactosemia is caused by a genetic defect in one of the enzymes involved in the breakdown of galactose, such as galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT), galactokinase (GALK), or uridine diphosphate galactose-4-epimerase (GALE). Giving an enzyme along with breast milk will not correct this defect or prevent the harmful effects of galactose accumulation.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason:
Using illicit drugs is not a known cause of congenital hip dysplasia. Illicit drugs may have other harmful effects on the baby, but they do not affect the formation of the hip joint.
Choice B reason:
Unknown. The exact cause of congenital hip dysplasia is not clear. Both genetic and environmental factors seem to play a role in the development of the disorder. Some risk factors include being female, firstborn, breech position, family history, and tight swaddling.
Choice C reason:
Being in nursing school is not a cause of congenital hip dysplasia. This is an irrelevant and incorrect choice.
Choice D reason:
Drinking too much is not a cause of congenital hip dysplasia. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may increase the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome and other complications, but it does not affect the formation of the hip joint.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A reason:
Maternal/newborn blood group incompatibility is the most common cause of pathologic jaundice, which appears within the first 24 hours of life. This occurs when the mother's antibodies attack the newborn's red blood cells, causing hemolysis and increased bilirubin production. The excess bilirubin causes the yellowish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes.
Choice B reason:
The absence of vitamin K is not related to jaundice but to hemorrhagic disease of the newborn. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting and is given to newborns as an injection shortly after birth. Newborns are at risk of vitamin K deficiency because they have low levels of vitamin K in their bodies and breast milk, and their intestinal bacteria are not yet able to synthesize vitamin K.
Choice C reason:
Maternal cocaine abuse can cause many complications for the newborn, such as prematurity, low birth weight, neonatal abstinence syndrome, neurobehavioral problems, and congenital anomalies. However, it is not a direct cause of jaundice in the newborn.
Choice D reason:
Physiologic jaundice is a normal and benign condition that affects about 60% of term newborns. It occurs due to the immature liver's inability to metabolize bilirubin effectively. It usually appears after the first 24 hours of life and peaks around the third or fourth day. It does not require treatment unless the bilirubin level is very high or rising rapidly.
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