Question

"a nurse notes that an infant with a diagnosis of failure to thrive who has been receiving tube feedings for 3 days has very dry skin and mucous membranes. the nurse verifies that all feedings have been retained, but the daily urine output is consistently 250 ml, and the infant has lost weight. what does the nurse conclude

Answer 1

The infant is suffering from dehydration most probably from esophageal atresia (non-development of the distal side of the esophagus, forming a closed tube) or partial/complete gut obstruction. With a urine output of 250 mL constantly, the patient will be dehydrated. The infant is diagnosed with failure to thrive and is most probably malnourished (most common cause of failure to thrive in infants is preterm birth). In the presence of esophageal atresia, along with retained feedings, the patient will also present with vomiting. In the presence of partial/complete gut obstruction, the patient will also present with distension of the abdomen.