Final answer:
The correct priority teaching for a parent is to monitor stools for the foreign body and avoid laxatives and enemas unless recommended by a doctor. The child should maintain normal eating and hydration habits unless instructed otherwise by a healthcare professional.
Step-by-step explanation:
The priority teaching for a parent of a child who has ingested a foreign body should focus on closely monitoring the child and seeking medical attention. It is not advisable to encourage the use of a mild laxative every night, nor to encourage a daily enema, as both can be harmful and disrupt the natural processes of the gastrointestinal system. The correct action is to slice each stool passed to observe for the foreign body. Keeping the child NPO (nothing by mouth) until the foreign body is passed is not suggested unless specifically instructed by a healthcare professional, as it could be unnecessary and detrimental to the child's hydration and nutritional status.
Diarrhea, the passage of three or more loose or liquid stools per day, or more frequent passage than is normal for the individual, is related to the improper flow of fluids in the colon, which might be triggered by laxatives and enemas. The use of laxatives without a doctor's recommendation is discouraged, as it may cause dependency and reduce colon function. Alongside this, nutritional and hydration support is essential, meaning encouraging the child to eat a balanced diet with adequate fibers and ensuring they drink plenty of fluids unless otherwise instructed by a healthcare provider.
It is important to mention that if the child shows signs of distress, abdominal pain, vomiting, or if the foreign body does not seem to be passing through, immediate medical attention should be sought. Moreover, understanding the anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal tract, as illustrated in Figure 4.8, can help caregivers understand that often foreign objects will naturally pass through the system and be expelled with the stool through the rectum and anus.