The nurse is caring for a toddler with autism spectrum disorder and failure to thrive. Which intervention should the nurse implement?
Provide structured meal times.
Offer food even if disinterested.
Incorporate play during meals.
Allow multiple food choices.
The Correct Answer is A
Children with autism spectrum disorder may have difficulty with sensory processing, social interactions, and communication, which can contribute to feeding difficulties and failure to thrive. Providing structured meal times is an important intervention to help establish a routine and promote consistency and predictability.
Structured meal times involve setting a specific time for meals and snacks, providing a calm and quiet environment, and limiting distractions. This can help the child focus on the task of eating and reduce sensory overload that may interfere with feeding. The nurse should also ensure that the child is seated comfortably and at an appropriate height for feeding.
Offering food even if disinterested (B), incorporating play during meals (C), and allowing multiple food choices (D) are not necessarily helpful interventions for a toddler with autism spectrum disorder and failure to thrive. Offering food when the child is not interested may reinforce negative feeding behaviors and can contribute to further feeding difficulties. Incorporating play during meals may distract the child from the task of eating and can be counterproductive. Allowing multiple food choices can be overwhelming for the child and may not promote a consistent and structured feeding routine.
Therefore, the nurse should prioritize providing structured meal times as an important intervention for promoting feeding and growth in a toddler with autism spectrum disorder and failure to thrive.

Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The nurse should recognize that the statement "high-calorie formula encourages increased growth" is an appropriate understanding of interventions for an infant with FTT. High-calorie formula can help infants who are not gaining weight adequately to increase their calorie intake and promote growth.
Breast milk provides adequate nutrition for most infants, but in cases of FTT, the infant may require a higher calorie intake than breast milk can provide. Regular syringe feedings and fruit juice are not recommended interventions for FTT. Syringe feedings can cause aspiration and fruit juice does not provide the appropriate balance of nutrients needed for an infant's growth and development.

Correct Answer is C
Explanation
The nurse should reassure the parents that febrile seizures typically decrease in frequency as the child grows older. Most children outgrow febrile seizures by the age of 5 years.
Ibuprofen is not typically used prophylactically to prevent febrile seizures.
Providing the child with a sponge bath for temperatures over 100.6°F (38.1° C) can help to lower the fever, but it will not necessarily prevent febrile seizures.
Avoiding excessive visual stimuli is not necessary for children with febrile seizures, as this type of seizure is triggered by a fever rather than visual stimuli.

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