Question

The initial intervention that the nurse would suggest to the parents of a child experiencing laryngeal spasm is to:

a) Administer pain medication
b) Provide a cool mist humidifier
c) Encourage warm fluids
d) Seek emergency medical attention

Answer 1

A cool mist humidifier is the initial intervention for a child experiencing a laryngeal spasm to help soothe the throat and reduce spasm.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a child is experiencing a laryngeal spasm, which is a sudden and often brief closure of the vocal cords causing breathing difficulty, the initial intervention suggested would be to use a cool mist humidifier. This humidifier can help to soothe the child's throat and reduce the spasm by providing moist air. It's important not to confuse laryngeal spasm with choking, where the obstructing object needs to be dislodged. If an infant is choking, you would indeed turn the baby upside down and slap on the back, but this is not the correct approach for a spasm of the larynx. Administering pain medication or encouraging warm fluids may not address the immediate breathing difficulty. If the spasm does not resolve quickly or is severe, seeking emergency medical attention would be the next step for safety.