An Infant Is Being Discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care

question 17

Multiple Choice

An infant is being discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit after 70 days of hospitalization. The infant was born at 30 weeks of gestation with several conditions associated with prematurity,including respiratory distress syndrome,mild bronchopulmonary dysplasia,and retinopathy of prematurity requiring surgical treatment. During discharge teaching the infant's mother asks the nurse if her baby will meet developmental milestones on time,as did her son who was born at term. The nurse's most appropriate response is:

• A)"Your baby will develop exactly like your first child did."
• B)"Your baby does not appear to have any problems at the present time."
• C)"Your baby will need to be corrected for prematurity. Your baby is currently 40 weeks of postconceptional age and can be expected to be doing what a 40-week-old infant would be doing."
• D)"Your baby will need to be followed very closely."

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Definitions:

Delta Wave

A type of brain wave that is associated with deep sleep and is characterized by its low frequency and high amplitude.

EEG Pattern

A graphical representation of the electrical activity of the brain recorded during an electroencephalogram.

Deep Sleep

The stage of sleep in which brain waves slow down and recovery processes increase, important for memory and recovery.

Waking State

The period of consciousness when an individual is awake, characterized by awareness of the self and the environment.