A nurse in a family practice clinic is assessing a preschool-age child who recently experienced the death of a sibling. Which of the following reactions is an age-appropriate response to death?
Explanation & Rationale
A. The child feels responsible for the sibling's death. Preschool children often engage in magical thinking and may believe their thoughts or actions caused the death, which is an age-appropriate but incorrect belief.B. The child views the sibling's death as permanent. Preschool-age children typically do not understand the permanence of death and may expect the deceased to return.C. The child is curious about what happened to the sibling's body. Curiosity about the physical aspects of death is a normal response for this age group as they are learning about the world around them.D. The child can give a logical explanation for the sibling's death. Logical thinking about death develops later. Preschoolers are not typically capable of giving a logical explanation for death.