A nurse in an emergency department is caring for an infant who has a 2-day history of vomiting and an elevated temperature. Which of the following should the nurse recognize as the most reliable indicator of fluid loss?

During a sickle cell crisis, the child experiences severe pain due to the sickled red blood cells blocking blood flow in the vessels, leading to tissue ischemia and infarction. Pain is the hallmark symptom of sickle cell crisis and can occur in various parts of the body, such as the abdomen, chest, back, joints, and extremities.

A. Constipation is not a common symptom of sickle cell crisis. It may be associated with other conditions but is not directly related to sickle cell crisis.
C. High fever is not a typical finding in sickle cell crisis. Fever may occur due to infections, which individuals with sickle cell disease are at increased risk of developing, but it is not a direct symptom of the crisis itself.
D. Bradycardia (slow heart rate) is not commonly associated with sickle cell crisis. Tachycardia (rapid heart rate) may occur in response to pain, but bradycardia is not a typical finding.

Hirschsprung disease is a condition where nerve cells are missing from parts of the intestine, leading to problems with bowel movements. The treatment for Hirschsprung disease often involves surgery to remove the affected portion of the bowel and create a temporary ostomy (stoma). An ostomy is an opening in the abdominal wall through which waste material can pass into an external pouch, bypassing the affected section of the intestine.
The correct statement by the parent that indicates an understanding of the teaching is C. The parent is expressing relief that the ostomy is temporary, meaning it is not a permanent situation. This response indicates that the parent has been informed about the nature of the ostomy and its planned duration, which is an essential aspect of preoperative teaching.
Let's go through the other options and explain why they are not the best choices:
A. "I'm glad my child will have normal bowel movements now." This statement is not accurate because, after the initial surgery with the creation of a temporary ostomy, the child will not have normal bowel movements. The ostomy is created to bypass the affected part of the intestine, and the child's bowel movements will be directed through the ostomy until further surgery is performed to reconnect the intestine.
B. "I want to learn how to use my child's feeding tube as soon as possible." While learning how to use a feeding tube may be relevant for certain medical conditions, it is not specifically related to Hirschsprung disease or the planned initial surgery. Hirschsprung disease primarily affects the bowel and its function, not the child's ability to eat.
D. "I want to learn how to empty my child's urinary catheter bag." Hirschsprung disease does not directly impact the urinary system, so there is no specific reason for the parent to learn how to empty a urinary catheter bag in the context of this condition or the planned surgery.