The Assessment Findings of a 5-Year-Old with a History of Asthma

question 10

Multiple Choice

The assessment findings of a 5-year-old with a history of asthma include extreme shortness of breath,nasal flaring,coughing,pulsus paradoxus,and use of accessory respiratory muscles.There is no wheezing and the chest is silent in many areas.How should you interpret your assessment?

• A) The child probably has consolidated pneumonia; oxygen should be started immediately.
• B) Since there is not wheezing, asthma is the problem, but oxygen should be started immediately anyway.
• C) The signs and symptoms are consistent with asthma; start oxygen and then check to see that your stethoscope is working properly.
• D) The child may be having such a severe asthma episode that the airways are closed, so start oxygen and get the doctor immediately.

---

Definitions:

Typicality Effect

The phenomenon where more prototypical or typical instances of a concept are processed faster than less typical instances.

Hierarchical Network Models

Cognitive models that propose concepts are stored in the brain in a hierarchical manner, from general to specific.

Cognitive Economy

A principle in cognitive psychology that suggests minds tend to use the simplest and most economic routes to process information.

Hierarchical Network Model

A cognitive psychology theory suggesting that concepts are organized in the brain in a hierarchical manner, with more specific concepts being subcategories of more general ones.