Question

A nurse is caring for a school-age child who has DM and was admitted with a diagnosis of DKA. When performing the respiratory assessment, which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

a) Increased respiratory rate and depth
b) Shallow respirations and decreased breath sounds
c) Wheezing and prolonged expiration
d) Irregular breathing pattern with periods of apnea

Answer 1

In a child with Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA), a nurse should expect to observe Kussmaul respirations, which are characterized by increased respiratory rate and depth.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student asked about the expected respiratory findings in a school-age child who has Diabetes Mellitus (DM) and was admitted with a diagnosis of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA). A common respiratory finding in patients with DKA is Kussmaul respirations, which is characterized by an increased respiratory rate and depth as part of the body's compensatory mechanism to counteract the metabolic acidosis caused by the accumulation of ketones. The nurse should expect to find that the child has a rapid and deep breathing pattern, known as Kussmaul respirations, which helps to eliminate carbon dioxide and acid from the body in response to the acidotic state.