A school-aged patient was recently diagnosed with type I diabetes mellitus. What symptom did the patient’s parents most likely report?

Choice A rationale

Suggesting that the child participate in a team sport to encourage socialization is not the best response. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive disease that causes muscle weakness and loss of muscle mass. Participating in a team sport could be physically challenging for the child and could potentially lead to injury.
Choice B rationale
Encouraging the parents to allow the child to continue attending swimming lessons with supervision is the best response. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that can help maintain muscle strength and flexibility in children with DMD. It also provides an opportunity for socialization.
Choice C rationale
Explaining that the child is too young to understand the risks associated with swimming is not the best response. Children with DMD can participate in swimming with appropriate supervision and safety measures in place.
Choice D rationale
Providing a list of alternative activities that are less likely to cause the child to experience fatigue is not the best response. While it’s important to consider activities that are appropriate for the child’s physical abilities, it’s also important to consider the child’s interests. The child has expressed a desire to continue swimming, and with appropriate supervision, this activity can be beneficial.

Choice A rationale
Reassuring the adolescent that experiencing phantom limb pain can be a normal post-surgical sensation is the correct choice. Phantom limb pain is a common occurrence after amputation and can be very distressing for the patient. The nurse should validate the patient’s experience and provide reassurance. Non-pharmacological interventions such as mirror therapy, visualization, and other cognitive-behavioral strategies can also be helpful.

Choice B rationale
Guiding the patient in moving the non-affected limb to override the sensation being experienced is not the most appropriate intervention. While some therapies for phantom limb pain involve focusing on the remaining limb, this should be done under the guidance of a trained therapist.

Choice C rationale
Telling the patient that the sensations of tingling and pain are not real is not an appropriate intervention. Although the limb is no longer there, the pain that the patient is experiencing is very real. It is important to validate the patient’s experience and provide appropriate interventions.

Choice D rationale
Affirming that a prosthetic with physical therapy will gradually improve the symptoms is not the most appropriate intervention. While using a prosthetic and engaging in physical therapy can help with overall recovery and adaptation after amputation, they do not directly address phantom limb pain. The pain is a result of mixed signals from the brain and nerves, and it requires specific interventions.