A Mother Is Placing Her Child into the Bathtub

A mother is placing her child into the bathtub. The child immediately jumps out of the tub and begins to cry, stating his feet are "burning." The nurse in the emergency department knows that the child's response is based on which of the following pathophysiological principles listed below?

A) Children react much quicker to contact with hot water than adults.
B) The tactile sensation occurs well in advance of the burning sensation. The local withdrawal reflex reacts first.
C) It takes a long time for thermal signals to be processed before the brain can send a signal through the spinal cord and tell the foot to withdraw.
D) The thermal processing center is located on the rapid conducting anterolateral system on the same side of the brain as the injury.