The child with seizure disorder is being treated with Dilantin (phenytoin). Which of the following statements by the patient's mother indicates to the nurse that the patient is experiencing a side effect of Dilantin therapy? A. "She is very irritable lately." B. "She sleeps quite a bit of the time." C. "Her gums look too big for her teeth." D. "She has gained about 10 pounds in the last 6 months."

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: C. "Her gums look too big for her teeth." Explanation: Dilantin (phenytoin) is an antiepileptic medication used to control seizures. Some of its common side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums). The patient's mother's statement, "Her gums look too big for her teeth," is a sign of gingival hyperplasia, a known side effect of Dilantin therapy.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the question and the medication

First, we need to understand the question, which is asking us about the side effects of Dilantin (phenytoin) therapy. Dilantin is an antiepileptic medication used to control seizures. Begin by gathering information about the common side effects of Dilantin therapy.
02

Identify the common side effects of Dilantin (phenytoin) therapy

Research or consult a reference material to learn about the common side effects of Dilantin therapy. Some potential side effects include dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums).
03

Evaluate the statements provided by the patient's mother

Go through each statement provided by the patient's mother, and determine if any of them match the common side effects of Dilantin (phenytoin) therapy. A. "She is very irritable lately." B. "She sleeps quite a bit of the time." C. "Her gums look too big for her teeth." D. "She has gained about 10 pounds in the last 6 months."
04

Choose the statement that matches a common side effect of Dilantin therapy

From the list of statements, only one matches a common side effect of Dilantin (phenytoin) therapy: C. "Her gums look too big for her teeth." (This is a sign of gingival hyperplasia, which is a known side effect of Dilantin therapy)
05

Conclusion

Therefore, the correct answer to the question is C. "Her gums look too big for her teeth." This statement by the patient's mother indicates that the patient is experiencing a side effect of Dilantin (phenytoin) therapy.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Biology Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free