A pediatric nurse administers 50,000 IU of Vitamin A to a 7-month-old infant. This dose is commonly used to:

NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Child Health Nursing (Pediatrics)

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 7 Prelims -2024

Explanation

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin crucial for maintaining healthy vision, particularly night vision, by forming rhodopsin in the retina.
Its deficiency is the leading global cause of preventable childhood blindness, progressing from night blindness to xerophthalmia (dry eyes) and keratomalacia (corneal damage).
Vitamin A is also vital for immune function, as it maintains the integrity of epithelial tissues (like in the gut and respiratory tract) and supports the body's defense against infections like measles and diarrhea.

Option A: Vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to rickets, is prevented or treated with Vitamin D supplementation, not Vitamin A.
Option B: Anemia is typically caused by a deficiency of iron, Vitamin B12, or folate. Treatment involves supplementing the specific nutrient that is lacking.
Option D: Scurvy is a disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).

Visual 1: Infographic - Showing the progression of eye damage from Vitamin A deficiency, starting from night blindness and conjunctival xerosis to potentially blinding keratomalacia.
Visual 2: Chart - Illustrating the WHO and Indian National Vitamin A supplementation schedule for infants and children, clearly showing the recommended ages and corresponding doses (100,000 IU and 200,000 IU).

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Vitamin A supplementation in infants to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Nurses are at the forefront of public health initiatives, administering Vitamin A supplements during routine immunization visits (e.g., with the measles vaccine) to significantly reduce childhood mortality and morbidity.
Accurate knowledge of the national supplementation schedule is crucial for nurses to ensure children receive the correct dose at the appropriate age, preventing both deficiency and potential toxicity.
What if? If the infant presented with active measles infection, they would be given a therapeutic dose of Vitamin A (e.g., 100,000 IU for a 7-month-old) immediately upon diagnosis, regardless of their prior supplementation history, to reduce the severity and risk of complications and death.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core subject of the question, which is pediatric pharmacology, specifically vitamin supplementation.
Note the key elements in the stem: the drug (Vitamin A), the patient (7-month-old infant), and the action (administration).
Recall the primary physiological roles of Vitamin A. A useful mnemonic is that Vitamin 'A' is for vision (Auge, German for eye) and immune Armor.
Evaluate the options based on this core knowledge. Option C, 'Prevent blindness and support immune function,' directly aligns with the two most critical functions of Vitamin A in children.
Systematically eliminate the other options by linking them to their correct vitamin or mineral: Vitamin D for bone health, Iron/B12 for anemia, and Vitamin C for scurvy.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Vitamin A supplementation in infants
Stem keywords: pediatric nurse, 50,000 IU, Vitamin A, 7-month-old infant
Lead-in keywords: commonly used to
Clinical cues: Age/sex group narrows the expected diagnosis, intervention, or normal reference range.

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