Question

Which statement by the parents does the nurse associate with cystic fibrosis in the child?

1 The infant has diarrhea.
2 The infant tastes "salty."
3 The infant has loss of appetite.
4 The infant has a flat abdomen.

Answer 1

The nurse would associate the statement that the infant tastes "salty" with cystic fibrosis, as it indicates dysfunctional chloride ion transport due to a defective CFTR gene.

The correct answer is option 2. The infant tastes "salty."

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement by the parents that the nurse would associate with cystic fibrosis in the child is that the infant tastes "salty."

This is because cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive genetic disease that affects the CFTR gene, leading to the production of thick mucus that clogs the respiratory and digestive organs.

The dysfunctional CFTR protein causes an abnormal transport of chloride ions, which leads to an increase in salt concentration on the skin.

Therefore, parents noticing that their infant tastes salty is a classic sign that suggests the child may have cystic fibrosis.