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

A. Feels alienated from their friends: Preschoolers typically do not have a fully developed understanding of illness or death, so feelings of alienation from friends are not an expected developmental response. Their social awareness is limited, and they are more focused on immediate experiences than abstract concepts like mortality. B. Understands that death is inevitable: Preschoolers generally lack the cognitive development to grasp the permanence of death. They often view death as reversible or temporary, so expecting them to understand its inevitability does not align with typical developmental stages. C. Believes that death is temporary: At the preschool age, children often see death as a temporary state, similar to sleeping or going away. This belief is consistent with their developmental stage and limited understanding of abstract concepts such as life and mortality. D. Expresses anxiety about physical changes: While some preschoolers may notice physical changes related to illness, their understanding of these changes is limited, and they are unlikely to articulate anxiety about bodily transformations in the context of terminal illness. Their concerns are more concrete and immediate.