A nurse is screening a child for epilepsy. Which of the following questions should the nurse ask the client's parent?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Has your child had a fever? While fever can be associated with febrile seizures, it is not a question used to screen for epilepsy. Febrile seizures are typically isolated events in young children and are not considered part of chronic epilepsy. B. Did your child have an aura prior to a seizure? This is an important question for assessing epilepsy, especially focal seizures, as many individuals with epilepsy experience an aura (a warning sign) before a seizure. The presence or absence of an aura helps in classifying the type of seizure and can be useful in diagnosis. C. Has your child had two or more seizures, in the last 1 year? This is not a screening question for epilepsy, but it would be relevant if epilepsy has already been diagnosed. Two or more seizures within a year can indicate a seizure disorder, but asking if the child has had multiple seizures would be more appropriate once epilepsy is suspected. D. How long did your child's seizure last? The duration of a seizure is important to note during an episode, but it is not a question used during initial screening. The nurse would focus more on whether seizures occur, how they manifest, and if there are any warning signs (like an aura) prior to the event.