A child diagnosed with aplastic anemia is admitted to the hospital. The parents ask the nurse what aplastic anemia is. Which response by the nurse is accurate?
A) "Aplastic anemia causes a proliferation of white blood cells."
B) "Aplastic anemia is characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells."
C) "Aplastic anemia is caused the bone marrow producing inadequate cells."
D) "Aplastic anemia is a disorder that occurs after a viral illness."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aplastic anemia is a disorder in which the bone marrow does not produce enough new cells to replenish the blood cells. It affects all three blood cell types – red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, due to ineffective hematopoiesis. Option A is incorrect, as proliferation of white blood cells is a characteristic of leukemia, not aplastic anemia. Option B is incorrect as abnormally shaped red blood cells are seen in sickle cell anemia, not aplastic anemia. Option D is incorrect because although viral illnesses can cause aplastic anemia, it is not the only cause, and the etiology of aplastic anemia is multifactorial.

A Child Diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia Is Admitted to the Hospital