A nurse is instructing a client’s family members about feeding safety for a client who has dysphagia following a stroke. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?

Choice A reason: Flexing the upper and extending the lower extremities in response to the painful stimulus is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of decorticate posturing, which indicates damage to the cerebral hemispheres or the internal capsule. Decorticate posturing is a type of abnormal flexion that involves the abduction of the arms, internal rotation of the shoulders, flexion of the wrists, and extension of the legs.

Choice B reason: Pushing the painful stimulus away is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of normal motor function, which indicates that the client can localize and withdraw from the painful stimulus. This is the highest level of motor response on the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), which is a neurological scoring system used to assess conscious level after head injury.

Choice C reason: Extending the body toward the painful stimulus is an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of decerebrate posturing, which indicates damage to the brainstem or midbrain. Decerebrate posturing is a type of abnormal extension that involves the abduction of the arms, external rotation of the shoulders, extension of the wrists, and extension of the legs.

Choice D reason: Showing no reaction to the painful stimulus is not an expected response for a client who has a traumatic head injury. This is a sign of flaccid paralysis, which indicates damage to the spinal cord or peripheral nerves. Flaccid paralysis is a type of complete loss of muscle tone and reflexes that involves the absence of any voluntary or involuntary movements.

Choice A reason: This is incorrect. Right hemiparesis is not a common finding in clients who had a stroke involving the right hemisphere. Hemiparesis is the weakness or partial paralysis of one side of the body. It usually affects the opposite side of the body from the side of the brain that is damaged by the stroke. Therefore, a stroke in the right hemisphere would more likely cause left hemiparesis, not right hemiparesis.
Choice B reason: This is incorrect. Aphasia is not a common finding in clients who had a stroke involving the right hemisphere. Aphasia is the loss or impairment of language functions, such as speaking, understanding, reading, or writing. It usually affects the dominant hemisphere of the brain, which is the left hemisphere for most people. Therefore, a stroke in the right hemisphere would less likely cause aphasia, unless the person is lefthanded or ambidextrous.
Choice C reason: This is correct. Inability to recognize his family members is a common finding in clients who had a stroke involving the right hemisphere. This is a type of agnosia, which is the loss or impairment of the ability to recognize objects, people, sounds, shapes, or smells. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for processing visual and spatial information, as well as facial recognition. A stroke in this area can damage the ability to identify familiar faces, even those of close relatives or friends.
Choice D reason: This is incorrect. Difficulty reading is not a common finding in clients who had a stroke involving the right hemisphere. Reading is a language function that involves the recognition and comprehension of written words. It usually depends on the dominant hemisphere of the brain, which is the left hemisphere for most people. Therefore, a stroke in the right hemisphere would less likely cause difficulty reading, unless the person is lefthanded or ambidextrous.