The nurse is monitoring a 7-year-old child post-surgical resection of a supratentorial (cerebral) brain tumor. Which vital sign finding indicates Cushing's triad?

A. This is the correct answer. Hirschsprung's disease causes a lack of nerve cells in the colon, leading to difficulty with bowel movement. The result is constipation and the passage of small, ribbon-like stools due to the narrowed areas of the colon. The stool can also be foul-smelling.

B. "Currant jelly" stool is typically associated with intussusception, not Hirschsprung's disease. This stool appears red and mucus-like and suggests a bowel obstruction or infection.

C. Foul-smelling, fatty stools (steatorrhea) are characteristic of malabsorption disorders like cystic fibrosis, not Hirschsprung's disease.

D. Mucoid, bloody diarrhea is more common in conditions like infectious colitis or inflammatory bowel disease, not Hirschsprung's disease.

A. Confusion and altered mental status can be signs of increased ICP, but these symptoms are not specific. Confusion or altered consciousness may also be observed in other conditions, so this alone may not definitively indicate increased ICP.

B. Increased diastolic pressure with narrowing pulse pressure is a classic sign of increased intracranial pressure and is a key component of Cushing's triad. This triad, which also includes bradycardia and irregular respirations, is a critical indicator of impending brain herniation and requires immediate intervention.

C. Irregular, rapid heartbeat is not a direct sign of increased ICP. While heart rate changes can occur with changes in ICP, they are usually seen as part of Cushing’s triad and would typically present with bradycardia, not rapid heartbeat.

D. Rapid, shallow breathing can occur in response to other conditions, but it is not the most specific or early sign of increased ICP. Changes in the respiratory pattern with increased ICP often involve more distinct alterations like Cheyne-Stokes or irregular breathing patterns.