A nurse is reinforcing teaching with the parent of a school-age child who is undergoing testing for acute lymphoid leukemia (ALL). The nurse should inform the parent that the child will undergo which of the following tests to confirm the diagnosis?

Rationale for A: If the child can describe what frightened them, this would be more consistent with nightmares. Nightmares often involve the ability to recall details of the bad dream, whereas sleep terrors are typically associated with no memory of the event.

Rationale for B: Children with sleep terrors generally do not fully awaken and can usually go back to sleep immediately. This is a key distinction between sleep terrors and nightmares, where the child remains distressed for some time and may be hesitant to fall back asleep.

Rationale for C: Becoming fully awake and in a panic is more characteristic of nightmares, where the child may wake up terrified and struggle to calm down, unlike sleep terrors where they do not fully awaken.

Rationale for D: A child with nightmares is often easily comforted by the presence of a parent. In contrast, children with sleep terrors are difficult to comfort because they are not fully awake and may not respond to soothing efforts.

Rationale:

A. Monitoring capillary refill of the casted extremity is crucial for assessing circulation and ensuring there are no complications such as compartment syndrome.

B. While supporting the cast correctly is important, it is not the priority immediately following the application.

C. Examining the skin at the cast edges is important, but it is not the priority immediately following the application.

D. Instructing the child not to put anything inside the cast is important, but it is not the priority immediately following the application.