Question

A nurse reviews the record of a 3-week-old infant and notes that the health care provider has documented a diagnosis of suspected Hirschsprung's disease. The nurse understands that which of the following symptoms led the mother to seek health care for the infant?

a) Projectile vomiting after feeds.
b) Excessive crying and fussiness.
c) Failure to pass meconium within 48 hours.
d) Persistent cough and wheezing.

Answer 1

A nurse would suspect Hirschsprung's disease in an infant if there is a failure to pass meconium within 48 hours after birth, which is a classic symptom of this condition. This condition affects the intestines and causes difficulty in passing stool.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse understands that the symptom which led the mother to seek health care for the infant, suspecting Hirschsprung's disease, is likely c) Failure to pass meconium within 48 hours. Hirschsprung's disease is a condition where there is an absence of ganglion cells in the intestinal wall, which leads to obstruction and inability to pass stool. In a healthy newborn, meconium is typically passed within the first day or so after birth. A delay in the passage of meconium, such as failure to pass within 48 hours, is a classic sign of this disease. Symptoms such as projectile vomiting after feeds, excessive crying and fussiness, or a persistent cough and wheezing could be indicative of other conditions but are not as strongly associated with Hirschsprung's disease as the delay in meconium passage.