The mother of a 5-year-old girl describes her daughter's symptoms to the nurse in the emergency room.She states that her daughter has had "a dry,hacking cough for the past 3 days that gets worse during the night." She further states that "now she is coughing up phlegm." Which discharge instruction does the nurse plan to provide?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This child has manifestations of bronchitis,which is frequently viral in nature.A dry,hacking cough gives way to a productive cough.Older children can be encouraged to cough up their secretions,but younger children often swallow them,leading to vomiting.Cough drops are not generally used,so as to encourage secretion mobilization.Because this disease is usually viral in nature,antibiotics are not routinely used.Cool-mist humidifiers are preferred over warm.

The Mother of a 5-Year-Old Girl Describes Her Daughter's Symptoms