A nurse is assessing a child who has a suspected head injury. What would be the initial action the nurse should take to assess the child's cognitive status?

A. Laxatives are not typically used for sickle cell crisis unless the client is experiencing constipation, which is unrelated to the crisis itself.

B. Thyroid replacement medications are used for hypothyroidism and would not be a first-line treatment for sickle cell crisis.

C. Diuretics may be used in conditions like heart failure or kidney disease, but they are not indicated for sickle cell crisis and may worsen dehydration.

D. Pain medications are the correct intervention during a sickle cell crisis. The crisis involves severe pain due to the sickling of red blood cells blocking blood flow to tissues. Opioids like morphine and hydromorphone are commonly administered to manage the severe pain.

A. Increased temperature, tachycardia, tachypnea is not consistent with Cushing's triad. These signs generally reflect an infection, fever, or a stress response, and are not indicative of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) or brain herniation.

B. Decreased temperature, bradycardia, bradypnea is incorrect. While bradycardia is a component of Cushing's triad, decreased temperature and bradypnea are not part of this syndrome. The signs of Cushing's triad typically include increased blood pressure, not decreased temperature.

C. Bradycardia, high blood pressure, irregular respirations is correct. These are the hallmark signs of Cushing's triad, which indicate a significant increase in intracranial pressure. Bradycardia occurs as a result of elevated pressure on the brainstem, high blood pressure develops as a compensatory mechanism to maintain perfusion, and irregular respirations reflect brainstem dysfunction.

D. Bradycardia, hypotension, tachypnea is incorrect. Hypotension is not part of Cushing's triad. Instead, high blood pressure is typically present in this condition due to the body's compensatory response to increased ICP.