Question

A nurse is caring for a toddler at a well-child visit when the mother calls to the nurse, "Help! My baby is choking on his food." Which of the following findings indicates the toddler has an airway obstruction?

a) Loud crying
b) Rapid breathing
c) Forceful coughing
d) Inability to cry or make sound

Answer 1

The indication that a toddler has an airway obstruction when choking is an inability to cry or make sound, pointing to a complete blockage that prevents air from moving through the respiratory tract.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question asks which finding indicates that a toddler has an airway obstruction during a choking incident. The answer is d) Inability to cry or make sound. A blocked airway typically results in the individual being unable to speak or make any noise, as the passage required for air (and thus sound) is obstructed. Signs of complete airway obstruction include an inability to cry, difficulty breathing or no breathing at all, coughing that is ineffective or silent, and the individual may clutch at the throat. Loud crying (option a), rapid breathing (option b), and forceful coughing (option c) actually indicate that some air is still moving through the respiratory tract, thus eliminating them as signs of a complete airway obstruction.