A nurse is reinforcing teaching with a female adolescent who has dysmenorrhea. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

Choice A rationale:
Maintaining oral rehydration therapy is a crucial nursing action when caring for a child with shigella, which is a bacterial infection that causes severe diarrhea. Oral rehydration therapy helps prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances caused by fluid loss from diarrhea. It involves giving the child oral rehydration solutions containing electrolytes and fluids to replace those lost through diarrhea.
Choice B rationale:
Providing a diet high in sodium is not recommended for a child with shigella. Shigella is associated with diarrhea and gastrointestinal symptoms, and a high-sodium diet can worsen fluid imbalances and dehydration.
Choice C rationale:
Shigella is a bacterial infection, not a viral infection, so administering antiviral medication would not be effective or appropriate. Antiviral medications are used to treat viral infections, not bacterial ones like shigella.
Choice D rationale:
Giving antidiarrheal agents every 4 hours is not recommended for a child with shigella. Antidiarrheal agents can slow down the gastrointestinal tract and inhibit the body's natural mechanism for expelling harmful substances, such as bacteria. It's important to allow the body to eliminate the bacteria and toxins causing the infection through diarrhea, while simultaneously providing rehydration support.

Choice A rationale:
A 2 cm scalp laceration, while a concern, is not the nurse's priority in this scenario. The child's head injury could potentially be serious, but priority should be given to neurological assessments and signs of increased intracranial pressure.
Choice B rationale:
Nasal discharge negative for glucose is not indicative of a major issue in this context. While cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaking from the nose after head trauma is a concern, it is not mentioned in this scenario, and this choice does not take precedence over other neurological signs.
Choice C rationale:
This is the correct answer. Asymmetric pupils can be a sign of a serious neurological issue, such as a brain injury or increased intracranial pressure. It requires immediate attention and further evaluation to assess the child's neurological status and determine the extent of the injury.
Choice D rationale:
A negative Babinski reflex is a normal finding in this context and does not require immediate priority attention. The Babinski reflex is typically present in infants and disappears as the child grows older. Its absence is expected in older children and adults.