A nurse is reinforcing home safety instructions with the guardian of an 18-month- old toddler.
Which of the following responses by the guardian indicates an understanding of the teaching?

Keep your environment well ventilated. This can help reduce nausea and vomiting by eliminating odors that might trigger them.

Some additional explanations are:

Choice B is wrong because eating three large meals each day can increase nausea and vomiting by overloading the stomach. It is better to eat small, frequent meals and avoid spicy, greasy, or strong-smelling foods.

Choice C is wrong because restricting intake of high-carbohydrate foods can lead to ketosis, which can worsen nausea and vomiting. High-carbohydrate foods can also help settle the stomach and provide energy.

Choice D is wrong because brushing your teeth immediately after eating can stimulate the gag reflex and cause nausea and vomiting. It is better to rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash after eating and brush your teeth at least an hour later.

Normal ranges for nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are:

• Nausea and vomiting usually start around 6 weeks of gestation and peak around 9 weeks. They usually subside by 16 to 20 weeks, but some women may experience them throughout pregnancy.
• Nausea and vomiting are considered mild if they do not interfere with daily activities or nutrition. They are considered moderate if they cause some difficulty with daily activities or nutrition. They are considered severe if they prevent adequate intake of fluids and nutrients, cause weight loss, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, or ketonuria.
• Nausea and vomiting that are severe or persist beyond 20 weeks of gestation may indicate a complication such as hyperemesis gravidarum, molar pregnancy, multiple gestation, or infection.

This is because the client has hypothyroidism, which means their thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormone. Levothyroxine is a synthetic form of thyroid hormone that can replace the missing hormone and normalize the TSH level. The client’s TSH level is 8.9 mIU/L, which is above the normal range of 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L. This indicates that the client’s current dosage of levothyroxine is insufficient and needs to be increased.

Choice A is wrong because thyroid ablation therapy is a treatment for hyperthyroidism, not hypothyroidism.

Thyroid ablation therapy involves destroying part or all of the thyroid gland with radioactive iodine or surgery, which reduces the production of thyroid hormone.

This would worsen the client’s condition and symptoms.

Choice C is wrong because lovastatin is a statin drug that lowers cholesterol levels. Hypothyroidism can cause high cholesterol levels, but this is usually corrected by levothyroxine therapy. Replacing lovastatin with cholestyramine, a bile acid sequestrant that also lowers cholesterol levels, would not address the underlying cause of hypothyroidism and would not improve the client’s TSH level.

Choice D is wrong because restricting the intake of iodized salt would not help the client with hypothyroidism. Iodine is an essential element for the synthesis of thyroid hormone, but most people in developed countries get enough iodine from their diet.

Hypothyroidism is usually caused by autoimmune disease, not iodine deficiency.