A nurse is creating a plan of care for a pediatric client who has been diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Which of the following factors should the nurse consider when planning care?

Choice A reason: Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive genetic disorder causing muscle degeneration, not improvement with age. Mutations in the dystrophin gene lead to worsening muscle weakness, respiratory, and cardiac complications, requiring supportive care as the condition deteriorates over time, making this statement incorrect. Choice B reason: Speech and vision impairments are not primary features of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which primarily affects skeletal and cardiac muscles. While motor limitations may indirectly affect communication, the condition does not typically impair sensory functions like vision or speech articulation directly. Choice C reason: Cognitive impairment, seen in some Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients due to dystrophin absence in the brain, can improve with intensive therapy. Cognitive interventions and educational support enhance learning and adaptive skills, addressing deficits in memory or processing, improving quality of life and functional outcomes. Choice D reason: Mobility concerns arise in childhood, not adulthood, in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Progressive muscle weakness leads to loss of ambulation by adolescence due to dystrophin deficiency, causing early mobility limitations, wheelchair dependency, and the need for physical therapy to maintain function.