Health Promotion and Maintenance
71. The parents of a newborn infant ask a nurse how to prevent future ear infections. What is the best advice the nurse should provide these parents?
Health Promotion and Maintenance
71. The parents of a newborn infant ask a nurse how to prevent future ear infections. What is the best advice the nurse should provide these parents?
. Avoid crowds during the winter months.
. Allow the baby to bottle-feed in the supine position.
. Make sure the baby receives the DTaP vaccine as scheduled.
. Continue breastfeeding as close to the baby's first birthday as possible.
Test-Taking Tip
Select the response that is most specific for prevention of otitis media, not respiratory infections in general.
Content Area: Child Health, Infectious Disease; Integrated Process: Nursing Process, Implementation; Cognitive Level: Application; Client Need/Subneed: Safe and Effective Care Environment/Safety and Infection Control/Standard/Transmission-based/Other Precautions
Health Promotion and Maintenance
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Answer 1 is incorrect because, although avoiding crowds during winter months may decrease the incidence of respiratory infections in general, this is not the best way to prevent otitis media. Answer 2 is incorrect because feeding the infant in a supine rather than upright position increases the risk of otitis media since the bottle's contents may leak into the pharyngeal cavity, creating a medium for bacterial growth. Answer 3 is incorrect because pneumococcal vaccine, not the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis) may prevent otitis media. The pneumococcal vaccine inoculates against infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae, one of the common causes of ear infection in children. Answer 4 is correct because infants who are exclusively breastfed have a decreased incidence of otitis media (ear infections) compared to those who are formula-fed.