A nurse is assessing a child who has bacterial pneumonia.
Which of the following manifestations should the nurse expect?

Preterm pre-labor rupture of membranes (PROM) is the spontaneous rupture of the amniotic sac before the onset of labor in a pregnancy less than 37 weeks gestation. It can lead to

infection, cord prolapse, placental abruption, and preterm delivery. The client has risk factors for PROM such as a history of preterm birth and a current infection indicated by fever.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to an infection causes damage to its own tissues and organs. The client has signs of sepsis such as fever, tachycardia, and possible organ dysfunction. The client may have a urinary tract infection, a common cause of sepsis in pregnancy, or an intrauterine infection due to PROM or other factors.

Preeclampsia is not a likely complication for this client because she does not have high blood pressure or proteinuria, which are the defining features of preeclampsia. Seizures are not a likely complication for this client because she does not have epilepsy or eclampsia, which are the leading causes of seizures in pregnancy. Placenta previa is not a likely complication for this client because she does not have painless vaginal bleeding, which is the hallmark symptom of placenta previa.

This indicates that the child may be experiencing hemorrhage because they are trying to clear the blood from their throat. Frequent swallowing is one of the initial signs of bleeding immediately after tonsillectomy.
Choice A is wrong because elevated pain level is not a specific sign of hemorrhage. Pain is expected after a tonsillectomy and can be managed with medication and fluids.
Choice B is wrong because increased drowsiness is not a specific sign of hemorrhage. Drowsiness can be caused by anesthesia, medication, or dehydration.

Choice D is wrong because diminished breath sounds are not a specific sign of hemorrhage. Diminished breath sounds can be caused by respiratory infection, asthma, or bronchospasm.
Normal ranges for hemoglobin and hematocrit are 11.5 to 15.5 g/dL and 34 to 45% for children, respectively.
Normal ranges for platelet count are 150,000 to 450,000/mm3 for both children and adults. Normal ranges for plasma clotting variables depend on the specific test and method used.