Gastrointestinal disorders Flashcards
At what age do children’s bowels fully develop?
2 YO
What is the volume of an adult stomach?
2000-3000 mL
What is the volume of a 16 YO stomach?
1500 mL
What is the volume of an infant’s stomach?
200 mL. HCl levels are similar to that of an adult at 6 months
Explain why infants are more prone to infection and fluid imbalance.
Infants have mucosa that is more sensitive and have more vasculature than the adult mouth. This makes them prone to injury and therefore infection. Infants also have underdeveloped immune systems.
Infants are also more prone to fluid imbalances because they have greater surface area to volume ratios. Therefore they lose more water through the skin when feverish or having GI upset.
They also retain relatively greater amounts of water; they ingest more liquid but excrete more liquid. Because they excrete more water, they are at higher risk for fluid-loss d/t fever or GI upset.
D/t rapid growth, infant BMR is higher. Higher BMR requires more water for excretory function, but infant’s kidneys are still immature. They lose more fluid through urine, increasing the risk of dehydration or overhydration.
Why do newborns experience frequent reflux and regurgitation?
Newborn lower esophageal sphincters are underdeveloped until about 1 MO. This places them at higher risk of aspiration.
What is the size of the stomach of a 2 MO?
10-20 mL
How do the intestines of an infant differ from that of an adult?
Infants have guts that are about 250 cm, while adults have guts of 600cm.
What are some causes of a distended or protuberant abdomen?
ascites, tumor, constipation, fluid retention, gaseous distention
What does a depressed or concave abdomen indicate?
severe abdominal obstruction, dehydration, malnutrition
Describe the physical assessment progress. What do you start with?
What are some abnormal findings?
Least invasive to most invasive.
Color: pallor, jaundice, distended veins, ecchymosis
Hydration: skin turgor, tear presence, urine output, fontanelles
Abdomen: soft, flat, non-distended, nontender
Umbilicus: color, discharge, odor, inflammation, herniation
Mental status: irritability or lethargy
Auscultation of all four quadrants for bowel sounds. ~5 min
Hypoactive = obstruction
hyperactive = diarrhea or gastroenteritis
Percussion: tympanic in all quadrants except RUQ (liver) and MLQ (bladder)
Palpation for tenderness, lesions, masses, turgor, sensitivity
Deep palpation: RUQ (liver), LUQ (spleen), RLQ (cecum), LLQ (sigmoid colon)
abn: rebound tenderness (appendicitis); kidneys (hydronephrosis/mass); firmness (tumor/stool)
What is the amylase test and what does it indicate? What are some nursing interventions?
Amylase enzyme converts starch into sugar. Abn amylase indicates pancreatic dz or acute cholecystitis.
Amylase levels remain high 3-6 hours after pain onset
What does serum electrolyte test for (7) and what do abnormal values indicate?
K+, Na+, Ca++, Cl, CO2, BUN, Cr abn values indicate dehydration
What is the lipase test and what does it indicate? What are some nursing interventions?
Lipase converts fats into fatty acids. Abn values indicate pancreatic dz, cholecystitis, or peritonitis. Levels remain high with acute pancreatitis.
What are LFTs and what do they indicate? What are normal LFT values?
AST: 9-40
ALT: 7-60
GGT: 5-40
indicates liver disease
elevated LFTs can be caused by infection or medications/drugs
What stool tests are there and what do they test? What are the indications?
hemoccult stool/culture: GI bleeding, GI infection, colitis, malabsorption, diarrhea, abd pain
OVA stool: tests for GI parasites - diarrhea/abd pain (needs 2 tbsp stool)
What does the lactose tolerance test indicate?
lactose intolerance
What is the urea breath test for and what are the nursing interventions?
H. Pylori. Stop PPIs for 5 days, antacids/antibiotics for 14 days
Which tests visualize the esophagus and upper GI? Briefly describe each.
Barium swallow - motility, peristalsis. CI w/ pregnancy, admin to infants via syringe
Esophageal manometry/pH probe - esophageal contractility, GERD. Enters through the nose.
EGD - scopes upper GI tract. Requires sedation/anesthesia
Gastric emptying scan - use of isotopes to measure rate of gastric emptying.
Which tests visualize the liver and other abdominal organs
Abdominal ultrasound - impaired by barium use
Colonoscopy - complications: perforation, bleeding, pain
Hepatobiliary HIDA scan - gallbladder EF/view, biliary system. IV radionuclide use
Liver biopsy - examines liver tissue microscopically. requires 8 hr bedrest
What kind of health history do you want to obtain from an initial assessment?
medical history, present illness history, family hx, surgical hx
signs and symptoms: quantity, quality, description, onset, duration, frequency
What can cause dehydration in children?
Fever, increased metabolic needs, increased urinary output, decreased fluid intake
What can cause irritability or lethargy in children?
dehydration, anaphylaxis, increased ammonia levels
When do the fontanelles close?
anterior: 9-18 months
posterior: 2 months
What is the normal urine output for infants and children?
2ml/kg/hr for newborns. 1ml/kg/hr for children
What are the signs and symptoms of dehydration?
sunken fontanelles, sunken eyes, dry mucosa, lack of tear production, irritability, increased HR and RR, skin tenting, decreased UO
What are the risk factors for GI disorders in children?
prematurity, prenatal factors, teratogens
family history
genetic syndrome, congenital disease
chronic illness -> nutritional deficits, immunocompromised, steroid use
exposure to infectious agents/foreign travel
Describe the pathophysiology of cleft lip and palate. What are some complications that result?
Cleft lip or palate or both can occur when the lip fails to fuse at 5-6 wk gestation or the palate at 7-9 wk gestation. Separation of the lips can cause feeding difficulty, and separation of the soft palate can lead to aspiration or middle ear infections. Both can cause dentition and speech problems.
What is the treatment and care of cleft lip/palate?
surgical repair of the lip at 2-3 months and palate at 6-9 months. Postop care includes protecting the sutures (prevent infant from touching it, avoid putting things in the mouth, using protective devices, preventing crying). Promote breastfeeding and bonding. Use false palate or special nipples for feeding if necessary.
What are the risk factors for cleft-lip and palate?
advanced maternal age
teratogen exposure (esp. psych or seizure meds)
prenatal infection
What are some common associated defects to cleft lip/palate
heart, ear, GU, skeletal defects
What are the signs and symptoms of esophageal/tracheal fistula/atresia?
Polyhydramnios
abdominal distention of stomach
frothy mucus
drooling
coughing, choking, cyanosis
inability to put in G-tube
What are some complications of esophageal/tracheal fistula/atresia?
difficulty feeding
aspiration
imbalanced nutrition/fluids/electrolytes