A nurse is caring for a preschooler who has a terminal illness. Which of the following findings should the nurse expect?

Caring for a preschooler with a terminal illness requires understanding developmental stages of death perception. Knowledge of Piaget’s preoperational stage is applied to anticipate the child’s belief in the reversibility of death and their reliance on magical thinking. Choice A rationale Adolescents, rather than preschoolers, are most likely to express anxiety about physical changes and body image. Preschoolers are more concerned with separation from parents or the immediate physical sensation of pain or discomfort. Choice B rationale Feeling alienated from a peer group is a characteristic concern of school-age children or adolescents who value social standing. Preschoolers are primarily focused on their family unit and do not yet feel social alienation. Choice C rationale The understanding that death is universal, inevitable, and permanent is a cognitive milestone typically achieved during the school-age years. Preschoolers lack the logical reasoning necessary to grasp the finality of the biological end. Choice D rationale Preschoolers often view death as a temporary state, similar to sleep or going on a trip. Their magical thinking leads them to believe the person might wake up or return, lacking a permanent concept.