The caregiver of a child with a history of ear infections calls the nurse and reports that her son has just told her his urine “looks funny.” He also has a headache, and his mother reports that his eyes are puffy. Although he had a fever 2 days ago, his temperature is now down to 100 °F (37.8 °C). The nurse encourages the mother to have the child seen by the care provider because the nurse suspects the child may have:

Choice A reason: Cartilage is a connective tissue, not stored in bones, which house minerals like calcium. Minerals are critical for bone strength, making this incorrect, as it misidentifies the substances stored in the musculoskeletal system in the nurse’s understanding of bone physiology.

Choice B reason: Vitamins, like vitamin D, are stored in tissues, not bones, which store minerals for structural integrity. Minerals are the primary storage component, making this incorrect, as it does not reflect the physiological role of bones in the nurse’s musculoskeletal knowledge.

Choice C reason: Spinal fluid is contained in the central nervous system, not stored in bones, which hold minerals. Minerals support bone function, making this incorrect, as it confuses bone physiology with unrelated systems in the nurse’s understanding of the musculoskeletal system.

Choice D reason: Bones store minerals like calcium and phosphorus, essential for strength and metabolic functions. This aligns with musculoskeletal physiology, making it the correct answer for the nurse’s recognition of what is stored in bones as part of their anatomical knowledge.

Choice A reason: Eating with family may encourage variety but does not address the normalcy of food jags in 6-year-olds. Reassuring about their transient nature reduces caregiver stress, making this less direct and incorrect compared to normalizing the child’s selective eating behavior for the concerned caregiver.

Choice B reason: Insisting on variety at every meal may escalate mealtime stress, as food jags are normal and temporary in 6-year-olds. Acknowledging their common occurrence is more supportive, making this pressuring and incorrect for addressing the caregiver’s nutritional concern about the child’s eating habits.

Choice C reason: Food jags, where a child fixates on one food, are common at age 6 and typically resolve naturally. Reassuring the caregiver reduces anxiety and aligns with pediatric nutrition guidance, making this the prioritized response to address concerns about the child’s nutrition and eating patterns.

Choice D reason: Discouraging food preferences risks mealtime conflicts, as food jags are developmentally normal. Normalizing their temporary nature supports the caregiver without forcing the child, making this unhelpful and incorrect compared to reassuring about the common, transient behavior in 6-year-olds.