A home health nurse is developing a plan of care for the parents of a toddler who has hemophilia A. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

Findings that require immediate follow-up:

• Generalized muscle weakness noted in bilateral lower extremities: This could indicate a neurological or muscular issue, such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), which is a concern after a viral infection or vaccination. This requires further investigation and close monitoring for any signs of progression, such as worsening weakness or respiratory involvement.
• Child reports pain in legs on palpation, rates pain as 5 on a scale of 0 to 10: This pain could be indicative of muscle cramping or weakness, which may be associated with GBS or another neurological condition. Pain in combination with muscle weakness should be followed up closely.
• Abdomen slightly firm, bowel sounds hypoactive, and reports last bowel movement was 3 days ago: This could suggest constipation or a gastrointestinal issue. However, the gastrointestinal symptoms may be secondary to the muscle weakness (if part of a systemic condition like GBS), and should be monitored, but it’s not as urgent as the neurological findings.

Findings that do not require immediate follow-up:

• Patellar deep tendon reflexes 1+ bilaterally: A 1+ reflex is on the lower end of normal and does not indicate a severe problem by itself.
• Child is awake and alert, responds appropriately to questions: This is a reassuring sign and does not require immediate follow-up.

A. "Your child needs mechanical ventilation." Mechanical ventilation is unnecessary if the child is awake and alert.
B. "We need to observe your child for cerebral swelling." Submersion injuries can lead to complications like cerebral edema or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), even if the child initially appears stable. Observation is essential to identify and address delayed complications.
C. "Your child needs to have an electroencephalogram." Electroencephalograms (EEGs) are not routine unless seizures or brain activity concerns are present.
D. "We need to perform an echocardiogram on your child." Echocardiograms are not standard for submersion injuries unless cardiac dysfunction is suspected.