A 7-year-old with a head injury is hospitalized after losing consciousness when he was hit in the head with a bat at baseball practice. The child was not wearing a helmet
The last set of vital signs showed heart rate 48, BP 148/74, respiratory rate 28 and irregular. The nurse suspects that these vital signs are: 1. Probably normal for this child.
2. A sign of increased intracranial pressure.
3. A sign that this child has a spinal cord injury.
4. Typical for a sleeping child at this age.
2
Rationale:
1. Normal heart rate for an awake child at this age is 70–110. Normal blood pressure is 92–126/55–86. Normal respirations are 20 and regular.
2. These vital signs show increased BP, with a wide pulse pressure, slow heart rate, and respirations that are irregular, all indicating possible significant increased intracranial pressure.
3. These vital signs are a sign of increased intracranial pressure. If it were a spinal cord injury, and neurogenic shock were suspected, the child would be hypotensive.
4. Normal sleeping pulse at this age is 60–90 bpm.
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