8 YOUNG CHILDREN AND INFANTS.

Running head: YOUNG CHILDREN AND INFANTS
Young Children and Infants
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1YOUNG CHILDREN AND INFANTS
Introduction
The following nursing case study is based on the case-study of Caroline a 12 year old
girl who is suffering from measles and has developed Koplik’s spot in the buccal cavity along
with the formation of skin rash in the face and in torso. The following nursing assignment
will begin with a detailed description of the disease followed by the identification of the risk
factors of the family and the community. The second and the third part of the assignment will
focus the nursing interventions, nursing assessment and nursing priorities in the care olan.
Section one
According to the case study, Caroline had a provisional diagnosis made by the
presence of the Kopliks sports inside the buccal cavity. Koplik’s spots are the signs of
measles. Measles is a contagious viral disease and an alarming cause behind mortality and
morbidity among the young children. The causative agent of measles is ssRNA
paramyxovirus (genus Morbillivirus). It is a systematic infection and the primary site of
infection is epithelium of the respiratory tract of the nasopharynx. After two or three days of
the preliminary viral invasion, the viral bodies starts replicating in the regional lymph nodes
or respiratory epithelium leading to manifestations of the symptoms like skin rash after 3 to 4
days. Caroline also has presence of Kopliks spot in her torso and this is reason why she was
feeling generally unwell for few days with headache and vomiting. The initial symptoms of
this viral infection is high fever or pyrexial along with cough, conjunctivitis and appearance
of the Koplik spots on the muscos member. Caroline also has Koplik spot in her buccal cavity
(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [CDC], 2019). The data published in the
National Health Service (NHS) (2019) reports that the initial symptoms of measles is also
associated with sore eyes or red eyes that eventually leads to the development of
conjunctivitis in the later of viral infection. The sore eyes or the redness of eye is the reason

2YOUNG CHILDREN AND INFANTS
why Caroline is suffering from photophobia or photosensitivity. The additional symptoms of
the measles in case of Caroline are distress and disoriented. Disorientation might be due to
development of encephalitis in the brain. The development of encephalitis in the brain results
in swelling of the brain leading to convolution and subsequent manifestation of
disorientation. The distress or fear or trying to stay close to her might be due to her ill-health
(CDC, 2018). CDC (2019) highlighted that the children who are suffering from measles are
more likely to develop respiratory and neurological complication. This is the reason might be
a reason why Caroline is feeling distressed.
Measles is highly contagious and spreads when the person infected with measles
coughs or sneezes. The viral bodies are exhaled through the droplets coming from the nose or
sore throat of the infected person. The measles virus can live up to two hours in the air and
thus increasing the vulnerability of infection. 90% of the people who are in close contact with
the person suffering from measles and are not immunized (vaccinated) are prone to develop
the same infects. The tenure of disease transmission starts after the appearance of rash. Thus
it can be said that Caroline is prone to transmit the infection to his parents (CDC, 2018). If
the parents are not immune with MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella) then they are
prone to get affected with measles virus transmitted from their daughter. According to the
CDC guidelines, measles can be prevented in a comprehensive manner (97%) with the help
of MMr vaccine. CDC recommends two doses of MMR vaccine starting from 12 months of
age to 15 months of age and second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. The vaccination is licenses
for 12 months to 12 years old children. Caroline is 12 years old thus it seems to be
unvaccinated and thus got affected with the disease (CDC, 2018). The measles infection of
Caroline is also harmful for the community members as it can increase the huge outbreak of
measles among the infants as well as the person who are unvaccinated. It is wise not to send
her school until the viral infection within her body is not fully eradicated.