A toddler fell out of a second-story window. She had a brief loss of consciousness and vomited four times. Since admission, she has been alert and oriented
Her mother asks why a computed tomography (CT) scan is required when she "seems fine." Which explanation should the nurse give?
a. Your child may have a brain injury and the CT can rule one out.
b. The CT needs to be done because of your child's age.
c. Your child may start to have seizures and a baseline CT should be done.
d. Your child probably has a skull fracture and the CT can confirm this diagnosis.
ANS: A
The child's history of the fall, brief loss of consciousness, and vomiting four times necessitates evaluation of a potential brain injury. The severity of a head injury may not be apparent on clinical examination but will be detectable on a CT scan. The need for the CT scan is related to the injury and symptoms, not the child's age. The CT scan is necessary to determine whether a brain injury has occurred.
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