Final answer:
After prolonged hospitalization, children may experience regression in newly learned skills as a coping mechanism for stress. They might revert to behaviors such as bedwetting or thumb sucking in younger children, or dependency and acting out in older children. Additionally, hospitalization can lead to anxious attachments and emotional fragility in children. The correct option is 4-Regression in newly learned skills.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prolonged hospitalization can significantly impact a child's emotional and psychological well-being. Among the changes that the nurse might educate parents to expect in their child after such an experience, "4- Regression in newly learned skills" is often observed.
Children undergoing extended hospital stays might exhibit regression in skills they've recently acquired. This regression can manifest as a return to behaviors typical of a younger age group, such as bedwetting after having been toilet-trained, sucking their thumb, or becoming more dependent on caregivers for tasks they previously managed independently.
This regression is often a coping mechanism, allowing the child to seek comfort and security during a stressful and unfamiliar period. It's essential for parents and caregivers to understand and support the child through this phase by providing reassurance, patience, and understanding.
While other emotional responses such as anger, jealousy, or resentment can occur due to the stress of hospitalization, regression in newly learned skills is a more common behavioral change observed in children following prolonged hospital stays.