Question

Parents bring their 10-month-old infant to the emergency department; they state he's breathing so fast he can't eat and feels hot. Physical examination reveals nasal flaring, clear nasal drainage, intercostal retractions, and expiratory wheezing. The nurse suspects the infant has what?

A) Epiglottis
B) Acute spasmodic croup
C) Bronchiolitis
D) Aspirated a foreign body

Answer 1

The infant's symptoms of rapid breathing, fever, nasal flaring, and wheezing, along with the physical examination findings, lead to a suspicion of Bronchiolitis, a common lung infection in infants.

Step-by-step explanation:

The parents' descriptions of their 10-month-old infant's symptoms, which include rapid breathing preventing the infant from eating, feeling hot, nasal flaring, clear nasal drainage, intercostal retractions, and expiratory wheezing, suggest a respiratory issue. Based on these clinical findings, the nurse suspects that the infant has Bronchiolitis, which is a common respiratory tract infection in infants that affects the small airways and is often caused by viral pathogens. Bronchiolitis is characterized by inflammation and mucus in the bronchioles, leading to signs of respiratory distress such as rapid breathing, wheezing, and retractions as the child uses additional muscles to breathe.