Question

The nurse caring for a child with nephrotic syndrome is alert to which classic symptoms of this disorder? (Select all that apply.)

a. Proteinuria
b. Grossly bloody urine
c. Hyperalbuminemia
d. Fatigue
e. Generalized edema

Answer 1

For a child with nephrotic syndrome, the nurse should watch for proteinuria, fatigue, and generalized edema. Other symptoms like bloody urine and high albumin levels are not typical for this disorder.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse caring for a child with nephrotic syndrome should be alert to various classic symptoms of this disorder. These include:

• Proteinuria: This is the presence of an abnormally large amount of protein in the urine, often due to damage to the glomeruli which normally prevent protein from being excreted.
• Fatigue: The patient may experience tiredness due to the body's overall decreased function and stress from the syndrome.
• Generalized edema: Swelling due to the retention of fluids in the body's tissues is another hallmark of nephrotic syndrome.

Two other symptoms listed, 'Grossly bloody urine' and 'Hyperalbuminemia', are not typical of nephrotic syndrome. Instead, nephrotic syndrome is characterized by hypoalbuminemia due to albumin loss in the urine, and hematuria (bloody urine) is more commonly associated with other renal disorders such as glomerulonephritis.