The 4-month-old child in the emergency department shows extreme dyspnea, a croaking inspiration, and excessive drooling. Based on these observations alone, the nurse's initial intervention would be to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

These are the classic signs of epiglottitis. If epiglottitis is suspected, the nurse should not examine the back of the throat because laryngospasm may occur followed by respiratory arrest. The child should be made as comfortable as possible and the physician should be summoned. Epiglottitis is a medical emergency.

The 4-Month-Old Child in the Emergency Department Shows Extreme Dyspnea