A school nurse is assessing an adolescent who reports feeling shaky and is having difficulty speaking and concentrating on the questions the nurse is asking. The nurse checks the adolescent's blood glucose level and identifies a value of 55 mg/dL. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

A. Spina bifida.

Explanation: Correct Choice. Spina bifida is a neural tube defect (NTD) that occurs during early fetal development when the neural tube doesn't close completely. It can result in various degrees of spinal cord and nerve damage. This is a suitable example to include when teaching about neural tube defects.

B. Hydrocephalus.

Explanation: Hydrocephalus is not a neural tube defect itself. It's a condition characterized by the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain, leading to increased intracranial pressure. It can be caused by various factors, but it's not directly related to neural tube development.

C. Cerebral palsy.

Explanation: Cerebral palsy is a group of motor disorders caused by damage to the developing brain, usually before birth. It is not a neural tube defect. Instead, it's related to brain injury or abnormal development.

D. Muscular dystrophy.

Explanation: Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic disorders characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. It's not related to neural tube defects. Muscular dystrophy affects muscle tissue, while neural tube defects involve improper development of the neural tube.

A) Smokey brown urine:

This finding is not typically associated with nephrotic syndrome. Smokey brown urine might indicate the presence of blood in the urine, which can be seen in conditions such as hematuria or certain kidney infections.

B) Polyuria:

Polyuria refers to excessive urination and is not a primary characteristic of nephrotic syndrome. However, children with nephrotic syndrome may have decreased urine output due to the loss of fluid and proteins through the damaged kidney filters.

C) Facial edema:

Facial edema (swelling of the face) is a hallmark of nephrotic syndrome. The loss of albumin in the urine results in a decrease in oncotic pressure (a force that helps keep fluid in the blood vessels), leading to fluid accumulation in the interstitial spaces, including the face, ankles, and abdomen.

D) Hypertension:

Hypertension (high blood pressure) is not a typical finding of nephrotic syndrome itself. However, it's possible for kidney damage to lead to secondary hypertension. In nephrotic syndrome, low levels of albumin can trigger the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which can contribute to increased blood pressure.