The nurse who is working in a pediatric unit administers tetracycline [Sumycin] to a preschool-age child. What is a potential adverse effect of the medication for this child?

A. Respiratory Function: Monitoring respiratory function is important for conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It involves assessing lung sounds, oxygen saturation levels, and breathing patterns. This monitoring is essential to detect any signs of respiratory distress.

B. Cardiac Function: Monitoring cardiac function includes assessing heart rate, blood pressure, and rhythm. It's crucial for patients with heart conditions like heart failure or arrhythmias. This monitoring helps in identifying irregularities in heart function and provides insights into the overall cardiovascular health of the patient.

C. Renal Function: Monitoring renal function involves assessing kidney health, which includes tests like serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). This is vital for patients with kidney diseases or those taking medications that can impact kidney function. Monitoring renal function helps in detecting any signs of kidney impairment or failure.

D. Liver Function: Monitoring liver function involves tests like liver enzymes (AST, ALT), bilirubin levels, and albumin levels. This is essential for patients taking medications that can affect the liver, such as certain antifungals, statins, or pain relievers. Monitoring liver function helps in identifying liver damage or dysfunction early on.

Allergic reaction: An allergic reaction can manifest in various ways, including rash, itching, and difficulty breathing. However, the specific symptoms described, along with the context of vancomycin administration, point to red man syndrome in this case.

Rhabdomyolysis: Rhabdomyolysis is a condition where damaged muscle tissue breaks down and releases a protein called myoglobin into the bloodstream. This can cause kidney damage, but the symptoms described do not align with rhabdomyolysis.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome: Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a severe skin reaction that can cause skin and mucous membranes to blister, peel, and can be life-threatening. While it can present with rash and other skin symptoms, the symptoms mentioned in the scenario are more characteristic of red man syndrome.

Red man syndrome: As mentioned earlier, red man syndrome is an allergic reaction to vancomycin characterized by flushing, rash, pruritus, and urticaria (hives), along with rapid heart rate and low blood pressure. It is specific to vancomycin and can be prevented or minimized by slowing down the infusion rate and administering antihistamines.