A nurse is assessing a child who has multiple closed fractures of the lower extremities due to a motor vehicle crash. The nurse should monitor the child for which of the following complications during the first 24 hr after the injury occurred?

A. Instruct the parent to ensure the pneumococcal vaccine is current.
This is a preventive measure to reduce the risk of infections in individuals with sickle cell disease.

B. Give oral hydroxyurea.
Hydroxyurea is used to decrease the frequency of pain episodes in sickle cell disease.

C. Monitor oxygen saturation continuously.
Continuous monitoring of oxygen saturation is important to detect any potential respiratory complications.

D. Place the client on strict bed rest.
Bed rest helps to reduce the metabolic demands on the body and promotes healing.

E. Restrict oral intake.
During a sickle cell crisis, it's generally not necessary to restrict oral intake unless there are specific indications to do so, such as severe abdominal pain or vomiting that prevents the child from tolerating oral feeds.

F. Apply cold compresses to the affected joints. Administer meperidine IV for pain.
Cold compresses may exacerbate vaso-occlusion, and meperidine is not the first-line choice for pain management in sickle cell crisis due to potential neurotoxicity.
G. Administer meperidine IV for pain.
Meperidine has a relatively short duration of action, which may necessitate frequent dosing. This can lead to more fluctuations in pain control.

H. Administer folic acid as prescribed.
Folic acid supplementation is often recommended for individuals with sickle cell disease to support red blood cell production.

A. A preschool-age child is not expected to give a logical explanation for death. They may not fully understand the concept of death in the same way an older child or adult does.

B. Correct. It is common for preschool-age children to be curious about what happens to the body after death. This curiosity is an age-appropriate response to death.

C. A preschool-age child may not fully grasp the concept of death as permanent. They may have limited understanding of the irreversibility of death.

D. Feeling responsible for a sibling's death would be an inappropriate and potentially concerning response for a preschool-age child. It may indicate a need for further assessment and support.