A nurse is caring for a child who has a suspected diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Which of the following actions is the nurse's priority?

A. Allow for adjustment of rules to correlate with the child's behavior.Rules should be consistent and predictable for children with ASD. Frequently changing or “adjusting” rules to match variable behavior increases confusion and anxiety and reduces opportunities to learn expected behaviors.

B. Allow for imaginative play with peers without supervision.
Many children with ASD need structured, supervised social interactions and support to learn play skills, take turns, and interpret social cues. Unsupervised imaginative play may lead to misunderstanding, frustration, or safety issues.

C. Provide a flexible schedule that adjusts to the child's interests.
While incorporating a child’s interests into activities is useful, children with ASD generally do best with a structured, predictable schedule. Sudden flexibility or frequent schedule changes can be disorienting. Best practice: keep a consistent routine but incorporate preferred interests within that structure.

D. Establish a reward system for positive behavior.A reward system (token economy, sticker charts, immediate specific praise) provides clear, consistent, and concrete reinforcement for targeted behaviors. This increases motivation, helps teach expected behaviors, and can be faded gradually as behaviors become routine.

A) A story book about a child who has diabetes:

While a story book about a child with diabetes can be informative and reassuring, it might not directly address the child's distress after an insulin injection. The child needs an interactive play activity that mimics the experience to help them cope with the distress.

B) A period of play in the playroom:

Playing in a general playroom might be enjoyable, but it may not directly address the child's specific distress related to the insulin injection. To address the distress, a play activity directly related to the injection experience is more appropriate.

C) A needleless syringe and a doll.

Explanation:

Using a needleless syringe and a doll allows the child to engage in therapeutic play that simulates the experience of receiving an insulin injection. This type of play, known as medical play or therapeutic medical play, allows children to gain a sense of control and understanding over medical procedures in a non-threatening and imaginative way. By allowing the child to "give" the doll an injection using the needleless syringe, the child can process their feelings and fears related to their own injections, helping to reduce anxiety and distress.

D) A video game:

Playing a video game can be engaging and distracting, but it doesn't directly help the child process their feelings or fears about the insulin injection. Therapeutic play involving a needleless syringe and a doll provides a more hands-on and interactive way for the child to work through their emotions.