Nr 603 Week 1 Study Guide Graded A+

A 3-year-old boy presents following a car accident. He had not been buckled in, and he was thrown against the windshield. When the paramedics arrived at the scene, he was crying and clinging to his mother. Upon arrival at the emergency department, he is sobbing and does not react to her any more. He sustained lacerations of the face and both arms. His blood pressure is 150/84, pulse 62, and the pupils react sluggishly. He also has a temperature of 39.2° C. What do his symptoms indicate? Answer Choices 1 Viral infection 2 Reye's syndrome 3 Increased intracranial pressure 4 Anxiety attack 5 Guillain-Barré syndrome {Ans: increased intracranial pressure This child most certainly sustained head injuries with increased intracranial pressure in the accident. It is very likely, since he was not buckled in, that his face and arms were cut when he was thrown against the windshield. His pupil reaction, disorientation, and not recognizing his mother all support that theory. Elevated temperature is common in patients with head injuries and is called 'central fever'. The only symptom that points to viral infection is the fever, but there would not be any changes in pupil reaction. Reye's syndrome is caused